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(Annual  Publications  of    iBgj, 

1893.  PAGE 

OSicers  of  the  Secretary,  1895  and  1894. . . .,. .    4 

Inaagaral  Address  of  Presicleni  E.  W.  Jones $ 

Eaily  GfJd  Discoveries  in  Southern  California— J.  >[  Guion 10 

HiitOTical  Notes  of  Old  Land  Marks— Dr.  W.  F.  Edj;ar 17 

The  Los  Angelet  River,  Us  History  and  Ow  crship — C.  P.  Dotland, .  ,31 
The  Deitruciioa  of  the  Catholic  Misiiont  on  the  Color&do-Rev.  |.  Adams .  36 

Ufe  Today  in  the  Pala  Missi.n  Sution— Frank  J.  PoIl<7 4' 

Siege  and  Capture  of  Los  Angeles,  S^ember,  1846 — J.  M.  Guinn 42 

Reminiscences  nf  Los  Angeles  in  the '50B  and  Early  *6os — H.  D.  Barrairs..55 

Los  Angeles  in  the  Later  '60s  and  Early  '705— J.   M.  Guinn 63 

Recollections  of  I-os  Angeles  from  1875  to  1885 — ^Jahn  Mansfield 69 

Leaves  from  the  History  of  the  Last  Decade  from  18S0  to  i89C»^Edwin 

Baxter 74 

Pasadena,  the  Crown  of  the  Valley— Jeanne  C.  Can- 80 

Secretary's  Report 88 

Curator's  Report 88 

1894. 

Officers  of  the  Secretary,  1894-95 ^. * 

Inaugural  Address  of  President  C.  P.   Dorland , .   S 

Conchological   Research  in  San  Pedro  Bay  and  Vicinity — Mrs.  M.  B. 

I  Williamson , 10 
Califcmia  Fifty  Years  Ago— J.  M  Cuinn 16 
7*be  Chinese  Massacre  at  t^t  Angeles  in  I871 — C.  P.  Dorland 23 
Owens  Valley  Earthquake  of  1872 — Chas.  Mulhol^and .37 
California  in  the  Tbirties^H.  D.  Barrows , 33 
RecollecUons  of  the  Old  Court  House  and  its  Builder — H  D  Barrows.. .40 
The  Americans  at  the  Battle  of  Cahuenga  F.J.  PoUey 47 
PioPico— H.  D.  Barrows 55 
Historical  Debris,  or  Myths  that  Pass  for  Hisory — J.  M.  Guinn 67 
Overland  to  Los  Angeles  via  Salt  Lake  in  t849-Judge  Walter  Van  Dyke..76 
Necrology 84 


/  ^o'-S-'^ 


Secretary's  Report,  1894 85 

Report  of  the  Publication  Committee 86 

Curator's  Report,   1894 87 

Treasurer's  Report,  1894 87 

189s. 

Officers  of  the  Society,  1896-96 4 

Inaugural  Address  of  President  Edwin  Baxter 5 

Origin  of  the  Historical  Society  of  Southern  California — N.  Levering 9 

Recollections  of  Capt.  Alex  Bell  and  the  Bell  Block — H.  C.  Barrows 11 

A  History  of  University  Town— Mrs.  M.  Burton  Williamson 19 

Memorial  Sketch  of  Col.  J.  J.  Warner— H.  D.  Barrows 23 

From  Arizona  to  California  in  the  Early  '70s — P.  W.  Dooner 30 

Ship  Building  at  San  Gabriel— Frank  J.  PoUey 34 

The  Plan  of  Old  Los  Angeles— J.  M.  Guinn 40 

The  Recent  Origin  of  Man — Stephen  Bowers,  A.  M.  Ph.   D 51 

Date  01  the  First  Discovery  of  Gold  in  California— L  L.    Given 59 

Report  of  the  Publication  Committee 60 

Report  of  the  Secretary,  iSgs 61 

Report  of  the  Treasurer,    1895 62 

Report  of  the  Curator,  1895 62 

1896. 

Officers  of  the  Society,  1896-97 4 

Inaugural  Address  of  President  Frank  J.  Policy 5 

Old  Time  Schools  and  Schoolmasters  of  Loi  Angeles — ^J.  M.  Guinn 7 

Governor  Caspar  de  Portolft — H.  D.  Barrows 15 

Michael  White,  Th«  Pioneer — H.  D.  Barrows 19 

Renegade  Indians  of  San  Gabriel — Frank  J.  PoUey 33 

Don  Antonio  Maria  Lugo 2S 

A  Defense  of  the  Missionary  Establishments  of  Alta  California — Rev.  J. 

Adams 35 

A  Two  Thousand  Mile  Suge  Ride — H.  D.  Barrows 40 

Capt.  Jedediah  S.  Smith,  The  Pathfinder  of  the  Sierras— J.  M.  Guinn...  .45 

Memorial   Sketch  of  General  John  Mansfield — H.  D.  Barrows 54 

Value  ff  a  Historical  Society — Mrs.  M.  Burton  Williamson 57 

Historic  Houses  of  Los  Angeles — J.  M.  Guinn 6a 

Capture  of  Monterey  October  19,  1842 — ^J.  iH.  Guinn 70 

Report  of  the  Publication  Committee  1896 74. 

Report  of  the  Curator,  I896 75 

Report  of  the  Secretary,  1896 75 

Report  of  the  Treasurer,  1896 77 


UrgsDlicd  November  i,  1883.  [iicor|)orated  February  ij,  ilUn. 


ANNUAL    PUBLICATION 


OP   THB 


Historical  Society 


OF 


Southern  California 

Los  Angeles 
1893 


PUBLISHED  BY  THE  SOCIETY 


LOS   ANOELKH,   (^AI.. 

NOBLE  A  McMillan,  pkintrkk 

1893 


Officers  of  the  Society. 


1893. 

BOARD  OF  DIRECTORS  : 

E.  W.  Jones  Rbv.  J.  Adam 

Edwin  Baxter  J.  M.  Gdinn 

H.  D.  Barbovs  C.  p.  Dobland 

Miss  Tessa  L-  Kelso 

OFFICERS : 

E.  W.  Jones  President 

Edwin  Baxter First  Vice-President 

H.  D.  Barrows      -----    Second  Vice-President 

C.  P.  Borland Treasurer 

J.  M.  Gdinn  Secretary  and  Curator 


1894. 

BOARD  OF  DIRECTORS  (ELECT)  : 

C.   P.  Dorland  J.   M.  GUINN 

H.  D.  Barbows  Rev.  J.  Adam 

Edwin  Baxter  J.  D.  Moody 

Mas.  M.  BuBTON  Williamson 


OFFICERS  (ELECT)  : 


C.  P.  Dorland 

H.  D.  Barrows 

Mrs.  M.  Burton  Williahson 

Edwin  Baxter    - 

J.  M.  GUINN 


President 

First  Vice-President 

Second  Vice-President 

Treasurer 

Secretary  and  Curator 


CONTENTS. 


HAOE 
Officers  for  1893  and  1894 4 

Inaugural  Address  of  President  E.  W.  Jones 5 

Early  Gold  Discoveries  in  Southern  CalLfornia  — J.  M.  Oulnn 10 

Historical  Notes  of  Old  Land  Marks  — Dr.  W.  F.  Edgar 17 

The  Los  Angeles  River,  Its  History  and  Ownership — C.  P.  Dorland SI 

The  Destruction  of  the  Catholic  Missions  on  the  Colorado  — Rev.  J.  .\dam...S6 

Life  Today  in  the  Pala  Mission  Station  — Frank  J.  Polley 41 

Hiege  and  Capture  of  Los  Angeles,  Septemlier,  1846- J.  M.  Guinn 47 

ReminiBoenoee  of  Los  Angelea  in  the  '50b  and  Early  '60s  —  H,  D.  Barrows.. .66 

Los  Angeles  in  the  Later  '60b  and  Early  '70s— J.  M.  Guinn 8S 

Recollections  of  Los  Angeles,  1875  to  1885 — John  Mansfleld 69 

Leaves  from  the  History  of  the  Last  Decade,  1880  to  1890  — Edwin  Baxt«r...74 

Pasadena,  the  Crown  of  the  Valley  — Jeanne  C.  Carr ,.flO 


/3  ^^T6' 


Officers  of  the  Society. 


1893. 

BOARD  OF  DIRECTORS : 

E.  W.  JONKS  Rkv.  J.  Adak 

Edwin  Baxter  J.  M.  Goinn 

H.  D.  Barrows  C.  P.  Dorland 

Miss  Tessa  L.  Kei.so 

OFFICERS : 

E.  W.  Jones  President 

Edwin  Baxter First  Vice-President 

H.  D.  Barxows Second  Vice-President 

C.  P.  DoRUlND Treasnrer 

J.  M.  GuiHK  Secretary  and  Curator 


1894. 

BOARD  OF  DIRECTORS  (ELECT)  : 

C.    P.    DORLAWD  J.    M.    GUINN 

H.  D.  Barrows  Rev.  J.  Adam 

Edwin  Baxter  J.  D.  Moodv 

Mrs.  M.  Burton  Williamson 


OFFICERS  (ELECT)  : 


C.    P.    DORLAND 

H.  D.  Barrows 

Mrs.  M.  Burton  Williamson 

Edwin  Baxter    • 

J.  M.  Guinn 


President 

First  Vice-President 

Second  Vice-President 

Treasurer 

Secretary  and  Curator 


HISTORICAL    SOCIETY 


OK 


SOUTHERN     CALIFORNIA. 


LX>e    ANGBI^ee.    tSqj. 


PRESIDENT'S     INAUGURAL     AD0RE5S. 


H.   W.  JONBS. 


[Deltnwed  Jutiwry  1,  un.) 
Ladies  and  GcnUemtn: 

Id  what  I  am  about  to  say  I  assume  uo  superior  wisdom.  Miud 
you.  I  am  required  by  the  byOaws  to  suggest  to  you  tonight  what  I 
think  the  society  should  do  during  the  coming  year  ;  that  is  one 
excuse  to  ofier.  and  another  i»  my  intense  desire  to  sec  this  society 
tAke  a  high  and  prominent  stand  as  an  educating  and  enlightening 
influence  in  this  community. 

I  doubtless  shall  suggest  nothing  new  to  any  of  yon.  aud  shall  be 
as  terse  and  brief  as  possible. 

Without  further  ado,  then,  I  wish  to  urge  that  the  work  of  this 
society  should  hereafter  be  almost  altogether  in  the  lield  of  history. 
Out  society  bais  heretofore  had  other  subjects  for  consideration ; 
especially  has  it  made  scientific  subject:^  prominent  itt  its  deliberations. 
But  BOW.  that  a  scientific  society  ol  considerable  prominence  has  been 
formed  here,  let  us  rel^ate  those  matters  mainly  to  the  care  of  that 
body,  especially  such  of  them  as  arc  entirely  foreign  to  the  realm  oP 
histor>'.  As  it  may  properly  come  n'ithin  our  province  to  deal  with 
the  history  of  our  plants  and  animals,  our  rocks  and  fossils,  to  some 
extent — as  well  as  that  of  our  people — so  we  are  necessarily  thrown, 
more  or  less,  into  contact  with  scientific  questions ;  further  than  this, 
however,  we  should,  I  think,  turn  over  tu  the  ScientiBc  Society  all 
subjects  properly  pertaining  la  it.  Let  that  body  make  history  for 
ours  to  transcribe  ami  enter  on  the  general  roll  in  its  proper  order; 
and  let  this  one,  from  now  on.  devote  itself  especially  to  gathering 
together  the  material  for  a  history  of  this  region  and  community. 
The  labor  and  its  result  will  )te  unique.     There  is  no  account,  so  far 


6 


mSTORKAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOVTRERN  CALIt-XJHNIA. 


as  ]  ktiow,  of  its  ever  having  been  done,  or  of  its  being  done  today 
anywhere  else,  and  yet,  among  chroniclers,  the  complaint  is  always 
that  contemporaneous  testimony,  intelligent  and  abnndant,  is  so 
scarce.  Let  us  begin  to  prepare  a  re«ird  of  the  origin,  rise  and 
progress  of  all  uur  important  enterprises.  The  material  can  be  had 
from  those  who  own  or  conduct  them,  and  from  their  advertisements, 
pamphlets,  circulars  and  from  personal  observation  and  authentic 
report. 

Not  long  ago  a  wonderful  event  occurred  among  us,  affecting 
especially  the  region  in  and  about  Los  Angeles.  It  could  not  have 
been  more  wonderful,  nor  of  greater  benefit  to  us.  had  a  shower  of 
precious  stoues  and  coined  gold — ^like  manna  to  the  Israelites  in  the 
desert — to  the  value  of  millions  descended  among  our  people,  and  yet 
it  has  almost  passed  out  of  recollection  :  no  account  has  been  written 
of  it ;  its  particulars  and  details  are  fast  being  lost  beyond  recovery. 
An  army  "like  which  the  populous  North  poured  never  from  her 
frozen  loins"  and  to  which  Xerxes'  Persian  hosts  were  a  handful;  like 
the  sands  of  the  sea,  for  multitude,  was  devastating  our  terrestrial 
paradise,  and  the  ingenuity  of  man  found  no  means  to  stay  its 
progress.  A  courier  was  dispatched  around  the  world  to  see  if  benefi- 
cent Mother  Nature  herself  could  not  furnish  some  remedy,  some 
power  to  save  her  suffering  children.  He  returned,  and  brought  to 
our  relief  a  Uttle  company  of  mail-clad  warriors  in  scarlet  and  black, 
and  the  enemy,  ten  thousand  to  one,  melted  away  before  them  like 
snow  flakes  under  a  summer  sun.  Who  will  write  the  wonderful 
story  of  the  great  war  between  the  Vcdalia  Cardinalis  and  the  Icerya 
Purchasi  ? 

The  story  of  the  terrible  blight  that  destroyed  many  of  our  vine- 
yards should  be  written  ;  the  story  of  the  growth  of  our  wiue.  brandy 
and  raisin  industries,  of  our  citrus  orchards,  of  our  fruit  industries 
generally — att  should  be  written  aud  made  as  complete  as  possible. 
We  should  also  keep  a  correct  record  of  local  current  events.  Diaries 
kept  with  that  object  in  view  would  hereafter  be  invaluable  from  a 
historical  point  of  view.  The  brightest  glimpses  of  the  lime  in  which 
our  ancestors  lived  are  given  by  some  of  the  diaries  then  written. 
There  is  scarcely  anything  that  transpires  within  our  experience  that 
is  not  worth  making  a  note  of  when  possible.  Let  the  man  who 
erects  a  building  aud  he  who  buries  a  friend,  or  he  who  plants  a  tree, 
write  the  story  of  the  event,  and,  with  a  coin  or  other  token,  seal  it 
in  glass  and  place  it  where,  beneath  the  wall  or  in  the  grave,  it  will 
make  its  revelation  to  the  future  discoverer. 

The  complete  history  of  a  people  cannot  be  written  without 
delineating  their  character,   and  their  character  cannot   be  shown 


PJiflSin^yrS    INAUOVHAI^    ADDJtBHS. 


except  by  descritnng  the  things  which  are  of  trivial,  as  well  as  of 
vital,  importance  aiul  inlcrirst  to  them.  It  is  oaly  within  the  present 
that  these  minor  matters  can  be  correctly  and  accurately  described. 
I  therefore  especially  urge  attention  to  local,  civil,  social,  religions 
and  political  contcmpora neons  history. 

Says  one  writer :  "  History  reposes  on  contemporary  witness  of 
the  fact  related;"  and  again,  "  History  only  attains  its  full  stature 
when  it  not  only  records,  but  describes  in  considerable  fulness,  social 
events  and  evolution." 

Our  field  of  research  in  ancient  history  is  not  as  interesting  as 
one  of  an  older  population,  but  still  it  is  one  offering  considerable 
reward  to  the  worker,  and  I  would  not  suggest  that  it  be  neglected. 
With  regard  to  our  people,  the  races,  nations  and  communities  from 
which  they  were  derived  wilt  be  matters  of  much  future  interest. 
Our  Committee  on  Ethnology,  I  hope,  will  see  something  profitable 
in  that  direction  to  occupy  its  time,  as  well  in  the  modem  as  in  the 
more  ancient  phases  of  it!»  subject. 

Our  Committee  on  Arcbeeolog)'  has  an  ever  widening  realm  to  ex* 
plore.  The  vestiges  and  relics  of  the  earliest  life  of  this  region, 
human  and  otherwise,  are  constantly  being  brought  to  light  in  in- 
creasing quantities.  In  geology  and  meteorology  our  domain  of 
investigation  is  always  practically  unlimited. 

"The  proper  study  of  mankind  is  man."  It  is  the  best  way  in 
which  he  can  study  his  Maker — the  all  comprising  theme.  From 
man's  acts  we  detect  his  motives,  as  well  as  from  the  events  which 
generate  those  motives.  We  can  not  be  accurate  in  our  knowledge 
of  him.  unless  we  know  accurately 'what  happens  to  and  is  done  by 
him.  By  the  lessons  of  history  much  of  hi.s  conduct  is  guided  ;  the 
lessons  of  his  own  experience  and  that  of  others.  Without  those 
lessons  we  can  imagine  how  unfortunate  his  condition  would  be ;  like 
that  of  apes  in  tropical  forests — iTeatures  of  instinct  only.  Had 
these  lessons  been  more  thorough  and  accurate  heretofore,  he  would 
be  much  better  off  than  he  is  today. 

Another  matter  to  which  I  wish  to  urge  the  attention  of  the 
society  is  the  collection  of  materials  for  a  museum  and  library. 
This  society  can  do  much  to  save  for  our  own  people  the  material 
that  we  all  know  is  so  riipidly  tn-ing  taken  from  us ;  there  are  among 
us  many  large  and  small  collections  and  isoliited  pieces  of  Indian 
relics,  fabrics  and  other  remains,  of  fossils,  petrifactions  and  curios- 
ities of  many  varieties;  many  manuscripts,  documents,  maps,  por- 
traits, pictures,  weapons,  tools,  implements,  ornaments,  decorations 
and  costumes ;  many  curious  botanical,  geological,  conchological, 
entomological  and    archaeological   collections  and  specimens,  which 


8  mSTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF SOVTAERN  CALIFORNIA. 

uttgfat  to  be  held  for  the  benefit  of  our  own  country.  They  are  being 
carried  off  iu  large  quantities,  mostly  to  arrest  a  passing  notice  in  a 
rich  man's  galleries,  or  to  load  the  shelves  of  some  great  public  curi- 
osity shop,  far  from  the  home  where  they  would  be  loved  and  appre- 
ciated. The  raiders,  who  carry  them  away,  get  praise  for  their 
enterprise  and  intelligence,  and  the  people  who  permit  them  to  be 
taken  get  the  opposite  kind  of  a  compliment.  It  is  lately  reported 
tlial  the  purchase  of  a  very  rich  collection  in  our  vicinity  has  been 
made  for  the  purpose  of  enriching  the  collection  of  a  great  State  2,000 
miles  away.  It  is  to  be  shown  to  all  the  world  at  Chicago  next 
summer,  to  the  great  glor>'  of  others  and  not  at  nil  to  ours.  Another 
collection,  close  by,  is  being  bargained  for  to  go  away  across  the  con- 
tinent, and  how  many  more  will  meet  a  like  fate,  unless  the  foray  is 
stopped,  we  can  imagine.  I  hope  that  this  society  will  devote  a  great 
share  of  its  energies  to  securing  and  retaining  these  treasures, 
especially  that  part  of  them  which  has  any  sort  of  historical  interest. 
Let  this  society  take  up  the  work  of  cataloguing,  or  at  leost  making 
a  list,  of  all  the  collections  and  isolated  specimens  of  historical,  liter- 
ary, artistic,  scientific,  or  curious  interest  in  Southern  California,  and 
appoint  a  strong  committee  for  the  task.  I  know  of  no  one  way  in 
which  it  can  aid  in  the  establishment  of  a  museum  here  to  better  ad- 
vantage. There  can  be  no  doubt  that  there  is  enough  material  here  to 
stock  an  institution  worthy  of  an  educational  center.  Object  lessons 
arc  the  best  of  all  means  of  instruction.  With  young  and  old  they 
appeal  to  the  intelligence  more  vividly  and  lastingly  than  any  other 
form  of  lessons.  Kach  object  in  a  well  provided  muscnm  furnishes  a 
many  sided  lesson,  and  illustrates  some  phase  of  existence.  And 
such  an  in.stiiution  should  be  provided  for  every  central  community, 
and  made  available  and  accessible  to  the  whole  people  ;  nothing  ap- 
proaches a  good  museum  for  furnishing  object  lessons.  A  part  of  the 
public  school  fund  should  be  devoted  to  the  building  up  of  snch  an 
institution;  the  I'ublic  Library  should  be  associated  with  it.  The 
worth  of  a  school,  whose  silent  teachers  exemplify  facts  in  every 
branch  of  science  and  art.  that  demonstrate  the  wonders  of  Nature, 
that  illustrate  the  progress  of  our  race  from  its  birth,  and  the  charac- 
ter &ud  vicissitudes  of  the  Earth,  our  Mother,  is  beyond  all  estimation. 
I  suggest  that  this  organization  ask  the  co-operation  of  the 
Science  A.ssocialion.  the  Board  of  Public  Library  Directors,  the 
Board  of  Hducation.  the  school  teachers  of  the  city  and  country,  and 
all  this  section  of  the  State,  and  alt  other  go<xl  ciiii'.cns  in  a  harmon- 
ious effuri  to  establish  a  .Southern  California  Museum,  (iraut  to  each 
his  share  of  the  glory  of  the  result ;  let  all  the  botlics  participating 
meet  and  select  a  board  of  intelligent  and  responsible  citizens  as  per< 


PSESIDBNT'S    JflAVaVRAL    ADO  ft  BUS. 

mancnt  trustees :  let  them  co-operate  with  that  board  In  securing  a 
suitable  bntlding.  The  building  for  the  purpose  •ihould  be  centrally 
located  and  fire-proof.  It  shonid  be  adapted,  if  possible,  to  the  pur- 
poses of  a  public  librar>-  also.  When  the  building  is  provided  for.  if 
that  can  be  at  twt  too  late  a  date,  there  will  be  no  difficulty  in  6lling 
it  with  objects  which  will  attract  and  instruct  multitudes,  old  and 
fonng — our  own  people  as  well  as  others — others  as  well  as  our  citi- 
zens. 

At  the  next  tax  levy  a  sum  should  be  provided,  both  by  the  City 
Council  and  the  Board  of  Supervisors,  foi  the  construction  of  the 
'building  ;  it  is  a  common  cause  and  will  be  a  common  pride  of  oar 
people. 

1  have  devoted  this  address  to  the  especial  advocacy  of  cflFort  In 
two  fields  of  labor,  viz: — Southern  California  Hwtory  and  the  estab- 
lishment of  a  museum.  The  regular  committee  work  in  other 
specific  lines  need  not  be  hindered,  and,  indeed,  shonid  only  tend  to 
the  same  end. 

In  the  first  field,  historical  treasure,  inestimable  and  incompar- 
able, up  to  this  date,  so  far  as  I  know,  can  be  laid  up ;  and,  by  the 
second,  a  great  educational  treasury  and  power-house  can  be  con- 
structed, where  the  rich  collections  of  the  different  societies,  and 
those  loaudl  to  them,  will  be  as  safe  as  [wssible  from  loss.  By  the 
trusteeship  suggested,  the  material  will  be  in  the  best  bauds,  aud 
beyond  the  power  of  mercenary  persons  to  make  use  of  for  their  owu 
selfish  purposes.  As  it  is  now,  such  persons  may,  at  any  time,  get 
control  of  this  society,  and  appropriate  or  dispose  of  its  property,  as 
has  already  been  done. 

This  state  of  affairs  can  not  be  too  soon  remedied  :  nothing  can 
impair  onr  usefulness  like  want  of  confidence  in  our  ability  to  protect 
and  preserve  the  articles  entrusted  to  us.  Such  a  trust  is  a  sacred 
one,  and  in  many  cases  it  is  far  more  so  than  that  of  money,  or  any- 
thing that  money  can  puicha-w. 

There  may  be  other  plans  better  than  I  have  suggested.  I  earn- 
eatly  hope,  having  a  deep  and  abiding  interest  in  the  welfare  of  the 
sodcty,  that  some  course  will  he  soon  taken  by  which  the  Historical 
Society  of  Southern  California  will  merit  and  attain  the  high  position 
among  our  highest  institutions,  which  it  ought  to  occupy. 


>.C' 


EARLY  GOLD  DISCOVERIES  IN  SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA. 


WKBRB,    WUSM    AMD    BY    WHOM  WAS    COLD    FIRST   DISCOVKRSD    IN 

CALIFORNIA? 


J.   M.  GUINN. 


[Rnul  Novfinlwr.1,  IHO.) 

If  asked  to  locate  the  place  where  gold  was  first  discovered  id 
California,  probably  nine  out  of  every  ten  of  the  intelligent  residents 
of  the  State  of  the  more  recent  arrivals  would  give  Sutter's  mill  race 
at  Coloma  as  the  location.  Even  among  the  Argonauts  of  '49 — those 
searchers  after  the  golden  fleece  of  Phryxtts'  ram — who  are  popularly 
supposed  to  know  all  about 

"  ThedayRof  old, 
Th«d«y»of  gold," 

probably  no  larger  percentage  could  give  a  correct  answer.  If  the 
anxious  searcher  for  historical  truth  were  to  consult  the  ordinary*  run 
of  histories  of  California,  he  would  find  in  them  repeated  and  re- 
repeated,  with  slight  variations,  the  old,  old  story  of  Sutter's  mill 
race  and  Marshall's  wonderful  find  therein. 

Yet.  with  all  due  respect  to  the  historians — good  bad  and 
indifTerent ;  with  all  deference  to  the  optuions  of  the  Argonauts,  and 
with  patriotic  regard  for  the  wisdom  of  the  conscript  fathers  of  the 
State  who  reared  a  statue  to  the  memory  of  Marshall,  the  so-called 
first  discoverer  of  gold.  I  here  enter  a  protest  against  the  iteration 
and  reiteration  of  the  story  that  Coloma  was  the  place  where  gold 
was  first  discovered  in  California,  that  Marshall  was  the  first  discm*- 
crer.  and  1848  the  year  of  the  first  discovery. 

Outside  ol  Bancroft's  voluminous  history  and  the  published 
reminiscences  of  pioneers  who  lived  in  the  country  previous  to  1848, 
it  is  very  rare  indeed  to  find,  in  any  compilation  dignified  by  the  name 
of  history,  any  mention  of  the  fact  that  gold  had  been  found  and 
extensively  mined  in  California  previous  to  1848. 

Kven  Bancroft,  voluble  enough  on  most  subjects  connected  with 
California  history,  and  sometimes  tediously  prolix  in  his  details  of 
the  petty  quarrels  and  bloodless  revolutions  of  California  rulers, 
disposes  of  the  first  gold  discovery  very  briefly.  He  calls  it  a  "local 
item  i^t'meuts  brief  mention." 

The  InhteCAnd  most  rehable  account  of  the  first  discovery  of 
gold  in  California  is  that  written  by  the  first  president  of  our  society, 


EARt  Y  aOLO  Dim.'O  VBRIES  IS  SOUTHER  S  rAUt-VRS'IA. 


Cofonel  J,  J.  Warner,  a  pioneer  of  1831,  and  published  in  "An  Hia- 
toncal  Sketch  of  Los  Angeles  County  '*  (a  work  now  out  of  pritil). 
I  qnote  from  this  sketch  : 

"  While  statements  respecting  the  existence  of  gold  in  the  earth 
of  California  and  its  procnremcnt  therefrom  have  been  made  and 
published  as  historical  facts,  carr^nng  back  the  date  of  the  knowledge 
of  the  auriferous  character  of  this  State  as  far  as  the  time  of  the  visit 
of  Sir  Francis  Drake  to  this  coast,  there  is  no  evidence  to  be  found  in 
the  written  or  oral  bistorj'  of  the  missions,  the  acts  and  correspond- 
ence of  the  civil  or  military  officers,  or  in  the  unwritten  and  traditional 
history  of  Upper  California  that  the  existence  of  gold,  either  with 
ores  or  in  its  virgin  state,  was  ever  suspected  by  any  inhabitant  of 
California  previous  to  1841.  and.  furthermore,  there  is  conclusive 
testimony  that  the  6rst  known  graiu  of  native  gold  dust  was  found 
upon  or  near  the  San  Francisco  raucfa,  about  forty-five  miles  north- 
westerly from  Los  Angeles  cit>-,  in  the  month  of  June,  1841.  This 
discovery  consisted  of  grain-gold  fields  (known  qs  placer  mines),  and 
the  auriferous  &elds  discovered  iu  that  year  embraced  the  greater 
part  of  the  country  drained  by  the  Santa  Clara  river  from  a  point 
Some  fifteen  or  twenty  miles  from  its  mouth  to  its  source,  and  easterly 
beyond  them  to  Mount  San  Bernardino." 

The  story  of  the  discovery  as  told  by  Warner  and  by  Don  Abel 
Steams  agrees  in  the  main  facLs.  differing,  however,  materially  in  the 
date.  Steams  says  gold  was  first  discovered  by  Francisco  Lopez,  a 
nati\*e  of  California,  in  the  month  of  March,  (843,  at  a  place  called 
San  Francisquito,  about  thirty-five  miles  northwest  from  this  dty 
(Los  Angeles).  "The  circumstances  of  the  discovery  by  Lopez  as 
related  by  himself  arc  as  follows:  I.opeE.  with  a  companion,  was  out 
in  search  of  some  stray  horses,  aud  abont  midday  they  stopped  uudcr 
some  trees  and  tied  their  horses  out  to  feed,  they  resting  under  the 
shade,  when  Lopez,  with  his  sheath-knife,  dug  up  some  wild  onions, 
and  in  the  dirt  discovered  a  piece  of  gold,  and.  searching  further, 
found  some  more.  He  brought  these  to  town,  and  showed  them  to 
bis  friends,  who  at  onc^  declared  there  must  be  a  placer  of  gold. 
This  news  being  circulated,  numlwrs  of  the  citizens  went  to  the 
place,  and  commenced  prospecting  in  the  neighborhood,  and  found  it 
to  be  a  fact  that  there  was  a  placer  of  gold." 

Col.  Warner  says:  "The  news  of  this  discovery  soon  spread 
among  the  inhabitants  from  Santa  Barbara  to  Los  Angeles,  and  in  a 
few  weeks  hundreds  of  people  were  engaged  in  washing  and  winnow- 
ing the  sands  and  earth  of  these  gold  fields."  Warner  visited  the 
mines  a  few  weeks  after  their  discovery.  He  says:  "From  these 
mines  was  obtained  the  first  parcel  of  California  gold  dust  received  at 


12         HISTORICAL  SiWlRTY  OF  SOfTTHKRN  VAL/FOItyiA. 


the  United  States  Mint  in  Philadelphia,  and  which  was  sent  with 
AlfriHi  Robinson,  and  wept  in  a  luercbanL  sailing  ship  arouod  Cape 
Horn."  This  shipment  oT  gold  was  1S.34  ounces  before,  and  iH.i 
ouDoes  after  melting,  ^neness  .926.  value  S344.75 — over  %t<t  to  the 
ounce — a  veay  superior  quality  of  gold  dust. 

It  may  be  ret£arded  as  a  settled  historical  fact  that  the  first  dis- 
covery of  gold  in  AUa  California  was  made  on  the  San  Francisco 
Rancho,  in  the  Santa  Pchciana  Caflon.  in  the  County  of  Los  Angeles. 
This  cailon  is  about  ten  miles  northwest  of  Newball  and  forty  north- 
west of  Los  Angeles. 

It  is  also  an  established  fact  that  the  Arst  discoverer  was  Franciso 
Lopez,  also  known  by  the  name  of  Cuso,  a  herdsman  living  at  that  time 
on  the  Piru  Rancho.  Lopez  had  been  for  many  years  previously 
mayordomo  of  the  San  Fernando  Mission.  The  time  of  the  discovery 
is  not  satisfactorily  settled.  Col.  Warner,  usually  very  reUable,  gives 
June,  1841,  as  the  date,  and  quotes  Don  Ygnacio  del  V'alle,  on  whose 
rancho  the  disco\'ery  was  made,  and  who  was  appointed  "encargado 
dcjusticia"  to  preserve  order  in  the  mining  district,  as  one  of  bis 
authorities  for  that  date.  Don  Abel  Stearns  gives  the  date  March, 
1S42  ;  Bandini,  April,  1&42.  Coronel,  who  spent  some  time  in  the 
mines,  and  employed  Indians  in  mining,  asserts  positively  that  it  was 
made  in  1842.  Bancroft  is  contradictory  in  his  dates.  In  the  context 
of  bis  history,  he  gives  March,  1842,  evidently  following  Steams' 
statement.  In  his  "Pioneer  Register"  be  states  that,  ''Antonio  del 
Valle  died  in  1841,  the  snme  year  that  gold  was  discovered  on  his 
ranch."  In  his  Bibliography  of  Pastoral  California  he  refers  to  a 
manuscript  by  Alvarado.  entitled,  "Primitive  Dcscubriniiento,"  in 
which  is  an  interesting  account  of  the  discovery  of  gold  placers  in  the 
San  Fernando  Valley  in  1841." 

Wm.  Heath  Davis,  usually  one  of  the  most  reliable  chroniclers 
of  pioneer  events,  in  his  book,  "Sixty  Years  in  California."  gives  the 
date  of  the  discovery  1840,  and  the  discoverers  a  party  of  Sonorians 
traveling  to  Monterey.  He  evidently  has  confounded  the  discovery 
of  upusiU  (a  variety  of  pyrites  supposed  to  indicate  the  presence  of 
gold)  made  by  the  Mexican  mineralogist,  Don  Andres  Castcllero,  with 
the  real  disco\*ery  of  gold   by  Francisco  Lopez,  a  year  or  two  later. 

Alfred  Robinson,  a  pioneer  of  1828,  in  his  book,  "Life  in  Cali- 
fornia," published  in  1846,  two  years  before  Marshall's  discovery, 
mentions  a  mine  at  Alisal,  near  Monterey,  from  which  considerable 
quantities  of  silver  ore  had  been  taken.  "This."  he  says,  "was  the 
first  mine  discovered  in  California."  "At  one  time,"  he  adds,  "the 
mania  for  mining  was  so  great  that  every  old  woman  bad  her  speci* 
men  of  what  she  called  ore."     "Finally,"   he  says,  "rich  mines  of 


EARLY QOhO  OISUO  YSHIKS  IS StJVTHSRy  CA LTPOItlflA.      18 

ptaeer  gold  were  dl«?oveKd  near  the  Miwiun  San  Fcrnandtj."  Bvi- 
dently  the  gold  fever  bad  been  epidctriic  in  California  long  before  the 
days  of  '49. 

Robinson  does  not  fix  the  date  exactly,  but  from  date*  of  events 
tpiven  in  this  connection,  I  infer  thai  he  intends  to  UKstc  the  event  in 
1S43.  Cornise,  in  his  "Natural  Wealth  of  California."  reputed  to  be 
standard  work  on  tl*.e  rcsuarces  of  the  Golden  State,  informs  his 
.ders  that  tbc  first  gold  kauwn  to  have  been  found  in  tfac  State  was 
obtained  in  1833,  in  the  Valley  of  Santa  Clara,  Los  Angeles  County. 
Historically  and  ^geographically  Comise  is  years  and  miles  distant 
from  the  truth.  Powell,  in  his  "Mineral  Resources  of  tbc  GwlUeu 
Stale." — another  standard  work — evidently  has  never  heard  of  the 
di»cover>"  of  gold  in  Southern  California.  He  gives  the  story  of 
Msrshall's  find,  with  a  few  scusaiionaJ  accompanimenB  not  given  by 
others.  In  the  dialogue  between  Sutter  and  Marshall,  Sutter  re- 
marks, "James  you  are  lying,"  and  James  with  none  of  the  spirit  of 
an  old-lime  Califoruian  neither  shoots  the  top  of  Sutter's  head  off, 
nor  offers  to  bet  bis  pile  that  Sutter  cannot  prove  htm  a  liar,  but 
cooly  pttlla  his  sack  of  gold  dust  instead  of  bis  revolver,  and  Sutter 
goes  into  ecstasies  instead  of  eternity,  We  have  had  the  shot  gun 
episode,  and  the  soap  kettle  addenda,  but  Powell's  fabrication  caps  the 
climax  for  absurdity. 

But  to  return  from  this  digression  :  —  From  this  mass  of  contra- 
dictory dates  it  is  impossible  to  decide  which  is  the  correct  date  of  the 
di9COver>'-  The  strongest  evidence  seems  to  decide  in  favor  of  March, 
1841.  as  the  correct  date. 

In  this  connection,  allow  me  to  give  an  illustration  of  how  false 
statements  creep  into  historical  narative,  are  copied  by  one  author 
after  another,  and  often  pass  current  for  years  S-s  veritable  history. 
In  the  last  report  (i888)  of  Hon.  Wm.  Irelan,  State  Mineralogist  of 
California,  a  work  of  nearly  a  thousand  pages  published  by  authority 
of  the  State,  and  stamped  with  the  great  seal  of  the  State  of  Cali- 
fornia, in  describing  the  "San  Feliciana  Placer  Diggings,"  he  makes 
this  remarkable  statement : 

"During  the  period  from  1810  to  1840,  Jose  Bermudcs  and  Fran- 
cisco Lopez  superintended  the  Mission  Indians  in  working  this  gravel 
deposit.  In  1844.  finding  that  those  deposits,  though  worked  in  a 
crude  manner,  paid  exceedingly  well,  the  Mexican  government  was 
petitioned  to  consider  the  territory  between  Piru  Creek  and  the 
Soledad  Caflon.  and  extending  west  to  the  Mojave  Desert,  mineral 
land,  and  that  no  grant  be  extended  taking  in  this  territory.  This 
petition  was  granted  by  the  government." 

In  Lewis  Co.'s  History  of  Los  Angeles  County,  a  publication 


endorsed  by  a  committee  of  this  society  (of  which  cothmittee  the 
writer  was  a  member),  this  misstatement  is  copied  as  true  history,  but 
copied  without  credit  to  the  source  from  which  it  was  taken.  In  my 
inaugural  address,  delivered  before  thissocicty  last  January — believing 
that  the  State,  like  the  Church,  ought  to  be  infallible — I  stated  that 
gold  was  discovered  and  snccessfully  mined  in  c&flons  of  the  Sierra 
Madre  nearly  forty  years  before  Marshall  found  nuggets  in  the  "Mill- 
race  a  Coloina."  And  this  misstatement  has  been  published  in  our 
Annoal,  by  the  authority  and  with  the  approval  of  the  Historical 
Society  of  Southern  California.  I  hereby  acknowledge  my  error,  aud 
retract  the  stalemeut.  The  remarkable  historical  discm-ery  of  the 
Stale  Mineralogist  has  found  its  way  into  the  oewspapers,  and  is 
traveling  the  ruunds  of  the  Pacific  Coast,  seeking  whom  it  may  de- 
deve.  There  is  not,  so  far  as  I  can  find,  a  particle  of  e\adeiice, 
written  or  oral,  to  confirm  his  statement  that  the  Mission  Indians 
mined  gold  from  1810  to  1840,  under  the  superiutendency  of  Bermu- 
des,  Lopez,  or  any  other  man.  It  is  pure  fiction,  palmed  off  upon 
hitD  for  fact  by  some  garrulous  fabricator. 

It  is  said  that  Republics  are  ungrateful.  Whether  this  be 
true  or  not.  it  is  true  that  they  are  often  unjust  in  the 
bestowal  of  their  favors.  Lopez,  the  real  discoverer  of  gold  in 
California,  lived  in  obscurity,  died  in  pm-erty.  and  deeps  his  last 
sleep  in  a  nameless  grave.  Marshall,  the  reputed  first  discover,  ob- 
tained celebrity  —  world  wide. —  in  his  later  years  drew  o  pettsioD 
of  ^3,000  a  year  from  the  State,  and  after  his  death  the  grateful 
Republic  erected  a  statue  of  bronze  to  his  memory.  Very  little  merit 
attaches  to  the  discovery  in  either  case.  In  both  cases  it  was  purely 
accidental ;  but  whatever  does,  belongs  to  Lopez,  not  to  Marshall, 
and  still  less  to  Sutter,  who  was  also  pensioned  by  the  State. 

Lopez  did  not  attempt  to  conceal  his  discovery,  nor  did  he  at- 
tempt to  gobble  up  all  the  gold  in  the  mines.  Sutter  and  Marshall 
are  accused  of  attempting  to  do  both.  Failing  to  conceal  their  find, 
it  is  stated  that  they  started  off,  post  haste,  to  Monterey  to  obtain  a 
grant  of  the  land  where  the  discovery  was  made  from  Gov.  Mason. 
The  Governor  had  no  authority  to  give  grants.  It  is  claimed  that 
after  their  return  to  Cotoma,  they  called  a  council  of  the  Indian 
chiefs  in  that  vicinity,  and  obtained  from  them  a  lease  for  twelve 
years  of  the  lands  where  gold  was  known  to  exist,  then  they  levied 
tribute  on  the  miners — at  first  one-half,  and  later  one-third  of  all  the 
gold  obtained  from  the  diggings.  The  miners  did  not  respond 
promptly  with  their  tithes ;  they  were  not  long  in  discovering  that 
Sutter  and   Marshall  were  attempting   a   piece  of   sharp   practice. 


EASLY  OOLD  DISCOVERIKS  Iff  SOUTHERS  CAtryORtflA.     16 


Snttcr  did  not  own  the  land  where  the  famotis  mill  was  located.  It 
belonged  to  the  public  domain. 

Sutter,  in  all  probability,  had  heard  of  the  gold  discoveries  in  the 
south,  and  the  incrednlity  with  which  he  tells  us  he  received  Mar- 
shall's story,  was  probably  an  afterthought  to  give  a  dramatic  effect 
to  his  narrative.  He  had  been  in  Southern  California  with  Michel- 
torena  in  1845,  and  was  present  at  the  bloodle&^i  battle  of  Cahueuga, 
where  that  governor  was  forced  to  abdicate.  Marshall  was  a  member 
of  Fremont's  battalion.  He  was  one  of  Captain  Gillespie's  garrison, 
and  claims  to  have  unspiked  the  cannon  with  which  Gillespie  repulsed 
the  assault  of  the  Califomiaiw,  during  the  siege  trf  Los  Angeles,  by 
Flores,  in  September,  1846.  He  spoke  the  Spanish  language,  and  no 
donbt  heard  of  the  discovery  of  gold  in  the  mountains  near  San  Fer- 
nando. From  the  published  reminiscences  of  pioneers,  I  should  judge 
that  every  intelligent  resident  of  California  at  that  time,  had  heard 
of  the  discovery. 

As  to  the  yield  of  the  San  Fernando  diggings,  it  is  impossible  to 
obtain  any  definite  informations  Don  Abel  Stearns  puts  it  at  from 
six  to  eight  thousand  dollars  a  year  up  to  the  time  of  American  occu- 
pation, in  1347.  Wm.  Ueath  Davis  gives  the  amount  at  eighty  to 
one  hundred  thousand  dollars  for  the  first  two  years  after  the  div 
covery.  He  states  that  Melius  at  one  time  shipped  five  thousand 
dollars'  worth  of  dust  to  Boston,  on  the  ship  Alert.  Bancroft  states 
that  "By  December,  1343.  two  thousand  ounces  of  gold  (worth  about 
$38,000)  bad  been  taken  from  the  San  Kemaudo  mines,  the  greater 
portion  of  which  was  shipped  to  the  United  Slates."  There  was  a 
great  scardty  of  water  in  the  mines.  The  processes  i^sed  in  extract- 
ing the  gold  from  the  earth  were  crude  and  wasteful.  Panning  out 
was  one  of  the  principal.  To  pay  even  two  dollars  a  day  by  such 
a  process,  the  mines  must  have  been  quite  rich.  In  1854,  it  is  stated 
that  Francisco  Garcia  took  out  of  the  Santa  Feliciana  placers  in  one 
season,  $65,000  in  gold — one  nugget,  worth  Si,9ix},  was  found  in  this 
gold  belt. 

Los  Angeles  is  not  classed  among  the  mineral  counties  of  the 
State,  yet  the  yield  of  her  placers  has  amounted  to  a  considerable 
sum.  The  San  Gabriel  placers  were  \'ery  rich.  As  late  as  1876  two 
companies  were  working  them.  One  company  reported  a  yield  oi 
$1,365  for  a  run  of  twenty-six  days,  working  five  men,  an  average  of 
$10.50  to  the  man.  In  all  the  mountain  creeks  tributary  to  the  Santa 
Clara  and  San  Gabriel  Rtvenv  prospcct-S  can  be  found.  In  1854  the 
Santa  Anita  diggings  paid  five  dollars  a  day  to  the  man.  The  great 
drawback  to  succcssfi;!  mining  in  our  county  is  the  scarcity  of  water. 


16        HISTORICAL  SOCIBTY  OF  SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA. 

Ben  Truman,  in  his  "Semi-Tn^calCalifomiB,"  a  boc^  written  in 
1874,  says : 

"During  the  past  eighteen  years  Messrs.  Dncommon  and  Jones, 
merchants  of  Los  Angeles,  have  purchased,  in  one  way  and  another, 
over  two  million  dollars'  worth  oH  gold  dust  taken  from  placer  claims 
of  the  San  Gabriel  River,  while  it  is  fair  to  presume  that  among  other 
merchants,  and  to  parties  in  San  Francisco,  has  been  distributed 
at  least  a  like  amount.  The  statistics  of  the  San  Francisco  mint  ^ow 
that  in  one  year  nearly  forty  thousand  dollars'  worth  <tf  dust  was 
sent  from  Los  Angeles  County  for  coining  purposes." 

There  are  a  few  specimens  of  gold  taken  from  the  Santa  Feliciana 
placers,  in  1843,  still  preserved  (in  jewelry  and  ornaments)  by  some 
of  the  native  Califomians  of  Los  Angeles.  The  State  should  procure 
a  specimen  to  put  with  the  famous  Marshall  nugget  in  the  museum 
of  the  State  Mining  Bureau. 


HISTORICAL  N0TE5  OF  OLD  LAND  MARKS  ON  THE  WESTERN 
SLOPE  OF  THE  ROCKY  MOUNTAINS. 


CAJ3TONMUNT    :.OXINC. 


WU.    P.    BDCAR,    H.  O. 


lo  August.  1S49.  the  writer  arrived,  as  medical  officer,  with  a 
battalion  of  the  U.  S.  Mounted  Rifles,  at  a  point  on  Lewis'  fork  of 
tlie  Columbia  or  Snake  river,  near  the  Hudson  Bay  trading  post  of 
-Fort  Hall.  "  in  latitude  40**  i' 30"  N.,  longitude  lu*"  29'  54"  W., 
and  altitude  4,800  feet. 

The  object  of  this  battalion  of  troops  was  to  establish  a  military 
station  in  this  locality,  for  the  purpose  of  giving  protection  and  aid 
lo  the  emigrants  on  the  Oregon  trail.  A  site  was  selected  on  the  left 
bank  of  the  river,  about  6vk  miles  east  of  the  trading  post,  and 
named  "Cantonment  Loring,"  in  honor  of  the  Lieutenant  Colonel 
conunanding  the  regiment  of  mounted  riflemen.  Men  were  immedi- 
ately put  to  cutting  and  collecting  the  only  kind  of  timber  to  be 
found  in  thni  part  of  the  country — small,  crooked  cottonwood  logs, 
with  which,  and  a  plenty  of  mud,  a  number  of  little  houses  or  huts 
were  constructed  in  the  form  of  a  hollow  square,  with  roofe  of  mnd. 
Snow  fell  in  November,  while  the  troops  were  still  occupying  tents, 
but  by  the  first  of  December,  when  the  snow  had  accumulated  to  the 
depth  of  eight  or  ten  inches,  they  moved  into  the  huM,  which  were 
oomparatively  comfortable,  with  the  deep,  dry  snow  that  covered  and 
4Rim>imded  them.  Some  of  these  huts  bad  small  windows  of  two  to 
fonr  panes  of  8x10  glass,  but  very  often  light  through  them  was 
intercepted  by  the  banking  against  them  of  the  snow,  which  had  to 
be  drawn  away  to  admit  the  light.  In  these  huU,  mostly,  the  troops 
passed  the  winter  of  1849-50,  which  was  considered  a  particularly 
haid  one  by  the  trappers,  mountaineers  and  Indians  of  the  vicini^. 
A  record  of  the  temperature  at  the  time  shows  an  average  mean 
temperature  for  December,  Jantiar)*  and  February  of  this  year  was 
35.62"  Fabienheit.  and  during  this  time  the  thermometer  occasionally 
fell  to  a8*  or  30°  below  zero.  Snow  covered  the  ground  from 
December  to  March  to  the  depth  of  from  two  to  three  feet,  but  it  was 
dry  and  light  and  not  very  unoomfortable  to  those  who  could  aff>Td 
to  wear  two  pairs  of  moccasins,  mth  thick  wooleu  socks. 


18        HfSTORWAL  SOCIBTY  Of  SOVTJIBJtPf  CAI^FOBNiA- 


The  snow  abont  the  post  was  so  deep  continaotisly  that  it  was 
impossible  for  the  cavalry  horses  to  get  at  the  dried  buach-grasa 
beneath,  and  a  faandfiil  of  corn  occasionally,  together  with  the  tender 
branches  of  cottonwood  shmbs  that  were  cut  down  for  them  to  browse 
upon,  was  the  limit  of  their  forage;  consequently  many  of  them 
perished  from  starvation,  as  did  over  a  thousand  head  of  cattle,  it 
was  said,  from  the  same  cause,  in  "Cache  Valley,"  where  they  were 
sent  to  winter,  upon  the  recommendation  of  some  of  the  experienced 
mountaineers  attached  to  the  command.  During  the  winter  most  of 
the  officers  and  some  of  the  men  of  the  command  put  in  a  part  of 
their  time  chasing  and  catching  antelope  in  the  deep  snow  on  the 
plains,  as  they  could  not  get  out  of  the  way  of  the  horses  in  the 
tnow.  and  were  easily  captured  or  killed  with  revolvers ;  but  they 
were  thin  and  lean,  the  hams  only  being  reserved  for  food,  which 
were  very  acceptable,  as  the  comissaiy  supply  had  already  been 
reduced  to  a  small  quantity  of  pork  and  beans.  There  were  a  great 
many  big  white  mountain  wolves  about  the  post,  drawn  hither, 
doubtless,  by  the  abundance  of  food  to  be  found  upon  the  carcases  of 
the  dead  animals  upon  which  they  fattened,  and  many  of  them  were 
caught  around  these  carcases  with  beaver  traps,  which  were  hidden 
under  the  snow,  and  the  fighting  between  these  trapped  wolves  and 
the  dogs  of  the  post  was  a  daily  diversion.  As  this  was  before 
the  coal  oil  period,  and  our  supply  of  candles  at  the  post  having 
given  out,  the  grease  of  these  wolves,  with  a  rag,  in  a  metallic  lamp, 
was  substituted.  Catching  antelope  in  the  snow  and  wolves  in  the 
traps,  together  with  a  band  of  minstrels,  improvised  among  the 
soldiers,  constituted  the  chief  recreation  at  the  post.  One  mail  from 
the  east  reached  the  command  while  here,  and  that  was  brought  in 
by  a  mountaineer  on  snow  shoes.  Two  efforts  were  made  by  the 
commanding  ofBccr  to  send  a  mail  east  with  official  and  other  papers. 
The  first  failed  in  consequence  of  the  carrier  not  being  able  to  cross 
the  Rocky  Mountains,  the  snow  being  of  such  great  depth  ;  the  sec- 
ond attempt  was  made  by  a  Canadian  trapper,  on  snow  shoes,  who 
succeeded  in  crossing  the  mountains  and  reaching  "Ash  Hollow," 
where  he  was  captured  by  the  Sioux,  who  decapitated  him  and 
destroyed  our  mail  —  his  head  afterwards  being  found  two  miles  from 
his  body. 

This  station  was  abandoned  in  April,  (850,  by  order  of  the  War 
Department,  and  the  command  marched  to  Vancouver,  on  the  lower 
Columbia.  In  thasc  days  the  younger  officers  of  the  command,  while 
silting  around  the  fires  in  their  huts  during  the  long,  cold  nights, 
would,  by  way  of  diversion,  in  imagination  project  themselves  into 
futurity  some  twenty-five  or  thirty  years,  and  imagine  themselves  as 


trjSTfJ/t/'Ar,  NOTKSOFOU*  I.AiVp  AfA/fJC.W. 


IV 


Id  men  —  meeting  and  tallcing  over  oW  limes  —  one  aBtonishing  tht 
other  by  telliii};  of  the  wonderful  changes  ihat  had  come  to  pass  id 
that  very  country  in  the  way  of  farms,  towns  and  railroads^  and  iti 
j^re^it  ^tx.  look  upon  the  matter  as  a  similar  party  aow  would  with 
reference  to  building  a  railroad  to  the  raoon  ;  but  "facts  arc  stranger 
tbao  fiction,"  for  these  very  things  came  to  pass  tu  much  leas  time 
than  had  been  jestingly  imagined. 

In  October.  1849.  Capt.  Howard  Stansbury,  of  the  U.  S.  Topo- 
graphical Engineers,  and  parly,  arri\'ed  at  out  camp  to  get  certain 
supplies  which  he  would  need  in  carrying  out  certain  instniction* 
of  the  War  Department  in  making  a  topographical  siirvey  of  Utah 
or  Salt  Lake  Valley.  When  Capt.  Stansbury  and  party  left  our 
camp  early  in  the  rouuth  of  OctoWr,  the  commanding  officer  of  the 
troops  took  an  esKx^rt  of  some  thirty  soldiers  and  accompanied  Stans- 
btiry  to  Bear  river,  in  Utah,  where  a  camp  was  made  for  a  time.  The 
writer  accompanied  this  escort,  and  after  being  in  the  Bear  river  camp 
a  few  days,  with  nothing  tu  do,  got  a  leave  to  visit  the  settlements  of 
the  "Latter  Day  Saints,"  and  not  being  able  to  get  company, 
set  out  alone. 

In  r88i,  thirty-two  years  afterwards,  I  visited  the  East  by  the  Cen" 
tral  Pacific  Railroad,  with  my  wife.  The  railroad  crosses  the  trail  of 
that  early  day.  I  had  promised  the  editor  of  the  "Los  Angeles 
Comrocrcial"  that  I  would  write  his  paper  a  few  letters  in  regard  to 
the  trip  I  intended  making.  I  did  so,  and  as  the  first  letter  referred 
mostly  to  the  incidents  of  that  escort  trip  of  October,  1849,  and  as  it 
contains  a  few  points  of  historical  interest  of  that  period,  I  have 
transcribed  it  from  the  original  montiscript. 

(COpr  0'  MMr.) 

"Daily  Commercial,"  Los  Angeles.  1S81. 

"LSTTBR  FROM  A  FORTY-NINRR." 

Dear  "Commercial:" — Perhaps  a  little  gossipy  scribbling  from  a 
(brty-niner  in  a  Pnllmau  car,  reviewing  a  portion  of  bis  mule  trail  of 
the  long  ago.  may  interest  some  of  your  readers  who  still  retain  an 
indistinct  recolltdion  of  the  trail.  A  sail  up  the  coast  to  "Frisco" 
from  the  dust  of  Southern  California,  in  August,  is  not  an  unpleasant 
beginning  for  a  journey  across  the  continent. 

The  riAz  over  the  Sierras  is  grand  and  exciting,  and  aside  from 
the  gloomy  and  sombre  aspect  of  the  snow  sheds,  one  sees  little  of 
interest  in  Nevada,  and  soon  tires  of  the  lazy  Humboldt  and  its  long, 
alkaline  valley,  but  after  crossing  into  Utah,  and  descending  into  Salt 
Lake  Valley,  and  catching  a  glimpse  of  the  lake,  stock  in  the  trip 
begins  to  rise,  for  here  "imagination  bodies  forth  the  forms  of  things" 


ao     mni-oaicAt  ttocinTY  of  sovthers  califoxsia. 

well-known,  to  Ihe  subscriber — from  an  experience  which  he  has  not 
for£atten,  and  which  now  loomed  up  afresh,  and — 

"Tlie  thoughts  of  former  yearn  glided  over  hU  >oul 
Like  »wirt4UootlDK  ni(;t«ui«  over  Artlveo's  gloomy  TalM." 

Rounding  the  northern  end  of  the  lake,  the  train  now  crosses  ft 
we]  I -developed  road  leading  northward.  This  I  recognized  as  the 
growth  of  a  trail  over  which  I  passed  on  a  tittle  yellow  mule  in 
October,  1849.  Being  on  duty  with  a  detachment  of  the  U.  S. 
Mounted  Riflemen,  as  an  escort  to  a  U.  S.  topographical  engineer, 
encamped  on  Bear  River,  some  forty  miles  north  of  the  nearest  settle- 
ments in  the  valley,  I  got  a  leave  of  absence  to  visit  the  settlements, 
and  at  break  of  day,  on  a  cloudy  October  morning,  I  sallied  forth 
alone  on  that  mule,  and  soon  struck  the  trail  above  referred  to.  On 
this  trail  I  traveled  all  day  long  mthout  seeing  a  soul — unless  wolves 
are  souls — and  night,  a  terrible,  dark,  rainy  night  overtook  me,  near 
where  the  railroad  noui  crosses  the  old-time  trail.  It  soon  became  90 
dark  that  I  could  not  sec  the  trail  any  longer,  and  the  mule,  being 
both  hungry  and  tired,  did  not  want  to  sec  it.  So  I  unsaddled,  and 
putting  the  saddle-blanket  about  my  shoulders,  sat  down  on  the  sad- 
dle, intending  to  make  a  night  of  it.  The  rain  poured  down  on  me. 
and  the  wolves  howled  about  me,  and  I  concluded  that  the  situation 
was  not  desirable.  In  the  course  of  an  hour  the  rain  slackened,  and 
the  clouds  cleared  up  slightly,  and  standing  up  and  peering  into  the 
darkness,  I  fancied  that  I  saw  a  light  some  distance  oS  and  a  little 
otit  of  my  supposed  direction,  but  I  concluded  to  go  for  it.  I  saddled 
up,  and  took  the  direction.  Afler  miring  down  in  a  swamp,  and 
breaking  my  way  through  brush,  I  found  myself  in  the  immediate 
vicinity  of  an  Indian  encampment  (Utes  I  afterwards  learned),  but 
thinking  that  I  might  not  be  received  by  them  as  a  "man  and  brother," 
I  beat  a  hasty  retreat,  and  after  going  a  hundred  yards  or  so  horn 
their  camp,  I  heard  a  shot,  but  whether  it  was  intended  for  me  or 
not.  I  did  not  know,  nor  did  I  think  it  worth  while  to  return  to  in- 
quire. After  wandering  around  in  a  swamp  and  brush  nearly  an 
hour,  I  again  saw  what  I  thought  another  light,  aud  struck  straight 
for  it,  as  it  seemed  in  the  right  direction.  Soon  I  was  in  a  low  bottom 
land,  with  brush  high  above  my  head,  aud  through  which  I  struck  a 
narrow  opening  which  proved  to  be  the  trail  again.  On  I  urged,  and 
soon  heard  the  roaring  of  a  stre&m— I  knew  that  I  had  one  to  cross. 
The  roaring  came  nearer  aud  nearer,  and  into  the  river  went  the 
mule — head  and  neck,  but  not  the  ears.  The  stream  was  swolen 
from  the  prevailing  heavy  rain,  and  in  a  moment  we  were  afloat — 
swimming  the  "Box-Elder,"  and  the  mule  was  doing  his  "level  best"— 


HISTORICAL  NOTES  OF  OLD  LAND  MARKS. 


21 


w. 


not  on  my  account,  but  on  his  own.  Fortunately  the  stream  was  not 
\-er)'  wide,  and  I  staid  with  the  mule  till  he  made  the  opposite  bank, 
where  we  emerged  all  right,  minus  a  pair  of  saddle-bags,  containing 
my  only  change  of  clothing.  The  trail  having  disappeared  again,  I 
anchored  the  mule,  and  went  on  fool  to  feel  for  it  in  the  dark,  but 
Just  as  I  begau  to  feel  a  little  encouraged,  two  big  wolves  jumped 
from  under  my  nos«  with  such  growls  and  gnashing  of  teeth  as  in- 
duced me  immediately  to  "rally  on  the  reserve,"  which  I  mounted, 
and  maluDg  a  circle  of  a  handred  yards  or  so.  struck  the  trail  again, 
and  on  reaching  the  higher  land,  I  saw  my  light  again,  which,  when 
finally  reached,  turned  out  to  be — no  Indian  light  or  ignis  /atuus 
cither — bat,  to  ray  joy,  the  camp-fire  of  a  small  government  train 
loaded  n-ith  auti -scorbutics  for  the  troops  at  Cantonment  Loring,  who 
were  suffering  from  scuriy.  The  train  men  greatly  encouraged  me 
by  saying  that  it  was  only  five  or  six  miles,  over  a  fair  road,  to 
Brown's  settlement,  for  which  I  now  made  with  the  only  persuasioa 
that  influences  a  mule  (spurs),  but  he  now  did  very  well,  for  I  think 
he  scented  forage  ahead  :  and.  at  about  2:30  in  the  morning,  I  drew 
up  in  front  of  Mr.  Brown's  who,  like  myself,  had  been  having  a  night 
oS  it,  for  he  was  up  making  "saur  kraut."  He  came  out,  received 
me  kindly  and  took  me  in — the  mule  too — and,  seeing  that  I  was 
rather  moist,  made  a  big  fire,  gave  me  a  fair,  adult  dose  of  "valley  tan." 
and  showed  me  to  a  warm  bed,  into  which  I  turned,  with  a  heart  full 
of  gratitude  towards  Mr.  Brown,  the  Mrs.  Browns,  the  little  Browns 
(too  numerous  to  mention),  and  in  fact  all  the  Browns  that  had  ever 
lived  up  to  that  time. 

Now.  in  passing  on  the  railroad  that  point  of  my  early  exploits, 
can  but  reflect  upon  the  difference  botween  then  and  note.  Tlieu  I 
Tvas  a  light-mustached,  long-haired  youth,  with  no  responsibility  in 
the  world  but  that  "yaller  mule,"  but  now  a  grizzly-bearded  con- 
troller of  an  entire  section  of  a  Pullman  car,  with  all  the  responsi- 
bility that  the  marital  relation  enjoins. 

It  is  said  that  "we  know  not  what  a  day  may  bring  forth."  but 
I  do  now  htfitv  what  thirty-two  years  have  brought  forth  —  among 
other  great  things,  a  railroad  that  took  me  from  the  Pacific  Slope 
to  the  Missouri  River  in  less  days  than  it  took  moultis  for  the  mule  to 
take  me  the  same  distance. 


Ohaba,  August,  1881. 


'49BK- 


HISTORICAL  NOTES  OF  OLD   LAND   MARKS  IN  CALIFORNIA. 


OLD  POKT  lULLBft. 


WM.  P.  BDOAH,  U.    D. 


Camp,  afterwards  Fort,  MiUcr  was  cstshlistied  the  26th  of  May, 
1851.  on  the  left  baok  of  the  San  Joaquin  River,  in  latitude  37"  N.. 
longitude  1 19°  40'  W.,  altitude  402  feet ;  and  was  occupied  by  two 
companies  (B  and  K)  of  the  Second  U.  S.  Infantry — the  former  com- 
pany being  that  of  Captain,  afterwards  General,  Nathaniel  Lyon. 
The  camp  was  named  in  hoqor  of  a  field  officer  of  the  Second  Infantry, 
Major  Albert  S.  Miller,  who  died  in  September  of  '52,  and  after  that 
the  post  was  buitt,  and  called  Fort  Miller.  The  fort  was  made  just 
within  the  foot  hills  of  the  great  Sierras,  where  they  form  a  small 
valley  on  the  river,  in  which  was  situated  the  large  Rancheria  of  the 
San  Joaquin  Indians,  the  principal  remnant  of  the  great  Pltcatche 
tribe.  These  hills  were  sparsely  covered  with  an  inferior  atid  brittle 
qiedes  of  white  oak.  interspersed  with  a  rather  stunted  growth  of 
pine,  of  which  a  stockade  was  built  during  the  summer,  aud  inside  of 
this  stockade  two  rows  of  small,  canvas-co\-ered  houses — one  row  for 
the  soldiers  and  the  other  for  the  officers  of  the  command — together 
with  some  canvas  houses,  one  for  a  hospital  aud  the  others  for  laun- 
dresses' quarters,  and  so  forth. 

The!>«  hills  disappear  about  three  miles  down  the  river,  upon  the 
vast  plains  thai  stretch  nurih  and  south  several  hundred  miles,  and 
which  have  an  average  width  of  about  fifty  miles,  and,  sa^'e  where 
marked  by  water-courses,  arc  destitute  of  limber;  and  are.  therefore, 
unprotected  in  summer  from  the  bunting  rays  of  the  sun,  but  happily 
the  nights  aie  generally  cool. 

The  soil  ol  the  bills,  as  well  as  of  the  valley,  is  generally  of  an 
argillaceous  character,  and  the  country  adjacent  to  the  post  is 
remarkable  only  for  its  occasional  gold-bearing  quartz  veins. 

This  gold  was  the  direct  cause  of  the  establishment  of  the  post, 
for  in  the  previous  year  (1850)  prospectors  had  already  entered  the 
country  and  soon  came  into  collision  with  the  natives,  by  whom  some 
of  them  were  killed,  for  in  addition  to  some  whose  bodies  were  never 
found,  the  troops,  on  their  arrival  at  the  locality  where  their  camp 
was  made,  discovered  close  by,  on  the  bank  of  the  river,  a  pair  of 


HISTORiCAt.  yOTE&  OF  OLD  LASD  MARKS. 


a 


legs  protruding  from  the  sand  which  belonged  to  a  body  killed  by  the 
Indians  and  hastily  covered  in  the  sand  there  by  some  of  the  fleeing 
companions. 

AAer  the  estabHshmeot  of  the  post,  miners  and  traders  accamu- 
lated  very  fast,  and  the  Httle  canvas-built  village  of  Millerton,  on  the 
river  a  raile  below  the  post,  soon  spmng  up  and  flourished.  A  large 
amount  of  gold  vas  taken  out  of  the  river  and  adjacent  gulches. 
The  nvcr  bed,  where  it  could  be  reached,  yielded  the  best  results 
in  fine  gold  —  to  those  not  afraid  of  cold  water  —  for  just  above  the 
little  town  the  ri%-er  bad  a  solid  rock  bottom,  with  numerous  cross- 
fissures  or  crevices,  which  caught  the  fine  gold  mixed  with  black 
sand,  and  these  proved  very  profitable  pockets  wheno-er  they  could 
be  reached.  The  Indians  soon  found  thLs  out,  and  when  moved  by 
the  spirit  of  trade,  two  of  them  would  form  a  copartnership  and 
one  would  bunt  up  an  old.  empty  sardine  box  from  the  street  and 
with  this  they  would  go  to  the  riffle  above  town  ;  and  while  the  one 
with  the  box  in  his  hand  would  dive  his  partner  would  seize  him  by 
the  feet  and  hold  him  down  until  an  understood  kick  signaled  him 
to  let  go,  when  the  diver  would  come  up  with  his  box  full  of  sand, 
which  when  properly  panned  out  would  yield  two  or  three  dollars  in 
fine  gold,  and  sometimes  more.  Aliout  this  time  a  considerable 
mining  fcx^cr  was  prevalent  in  the  vicinity  of  the  post,  but  it  grad- 
ually subsided  after  it  was  ascertained  that  a  large  ditch,  which  was 
cut  to  turn  the  water  from  the  river  bed,  was  several  feet  higher  at 
its  outlet  than  it  wa.s  at  its  inlet. 

T  joined  this  command  as  its  medical  officer  a  few  months  after 
it  had  estahli-shed  the  camp,  and  on  my  way  out  to  it  I  was  joined 
at  Stockton  by  a  lieuteuant  who  also  was  going  to  join  his  company 
out  there,  and  while  waiting  for  some  Rovernmenl  opportunity  for 
transportation,  the  lieutenant  found  an  acquaintance  who  kindly 
oSered  us  his  horse  and  buggy  for  the  trip,  which  we  gratefully 
accepted,  and  started  out  bright  and  early  llie  next  morning  for  our 
destination,  some  150  miles  distant.  We  got  along  very  well,  but 
slowly,  until  after  we  crossed  the  Merced  river,  when  our  road 
became  a  mere  trail,  with  au  occasional  wagon  track — the  remains  of 
the  evidence  that  our  commaud  had  preceded  us.  This  partially 
broken  road  we  managed  to  keep  until  not  far  north  of  the  Chow- 
chille  Ri^'er,  when  we  began  to  think  that  night  would  overtake  us 
before  xx-e  could  make  the  river,  where  we  expected  to  find  some 
accommodations  for  staying  over  night.  Finally,  about  dark  we 
e^ied  a  new  log  cabin  that  had  just  iK-en  built  up,  but  not  finished, 
and  was  covered  with  a  piece  of  cotton  cloth.  We  soon  found  th« 
landlord,  a  solitary  frontiersman,  who  informed  us  that  he  was  about 


at        HISTORICAL  fiOCTBTY  OF  fiOUTRERN  CALIFORNIA. 

to  open  a  hotel  and  that  ^ve  could  "put  up"  with  him  for  the  night,' 
aud  poiuted  Co  a  place  which  he  said  was  good  for  picketing  our 
horse,  but  that  if  his  partner,  who  had  gone  antelope  hunting,  was 
not  successful,  consequently  we  ourselves  would  have  to  pat  up  with 
rather  slim  fare,  but  that  we  could  make  our  Ixxls  among  the  chips 
aud  shavings  in  the  cabin,  which  being  so  much  more  comfortable 
than  the  ontside,  we  would  be  compensated  for  any  shortness  in  the 
supper.  The  partner  returned  soon  after  dark,  but  without  anything 
to  add  to  the  larder,  whereupon  the  landlord  boiled  for  the  second 
time  a  piece  of  a  haunch  of  antelope,  which,  with  the  broth  in  lieu 
of  tea  or  coffee,  sufficed  for  supper.  After  this  we  retired  for  the 
night,  with  our  overcoats,  among  the  chips  and  shavings.  In  the 
morning  we  had  for  breakfast  the  same  fare,  from  the  same  haunch 
of  antelope.  We  left  this  hotel  early  in  the  morning,  and  reached 
the  San  Joaquin  River  about  sunset,  and  forded  it  in  our  buggy  just 
below  what  was  afterwards  known  as  "Converse's  Ferry,"  to  the 
astonishmeut  of  those  better  acquainted  with  the  river  than  we 
were,  but  we  crossed  safely,  though  our  buggy  was  filled  with  water. 

A  mouth  after  this  and  about  two  miles  further  down  the  river  I 
daw  a  baud  of  elk  —  supposed  to  be  about  fifty — also  fording  the 
river.     I  doubt  if  now  a  wild  elk  could  be  found  in  the  State. 

Fort  Miller  was  established  chiefly  for  the  purpose  ol  controlling 
the  Indians  between  the  Merced  and  Kem  rivers,  which  it  did  very 
efiectually,  as  the  rancberia  of  the  largest  tribe  among  them  was  in 
reach  of  the  guns  of  the  fort.  Fort  Miller,  however,  was  so  enclosed 
by  the  hills  and  adjacent  high  mountains  that  thr  direct  and  reflected 
rays  of  the  sun  made  it  the  hottest  midday  station  on  the  coast  — 
barely  excepting  Yuma,  whose  average  temperature  for  the  summer 
of  1853  is  recorded  as  being  92.92°  and  that  of  Miller  for  the  same 
period  as  85.86°.  and  the  maximum  temperature  for  each  in  July, 
1855,  was.  for  Yuma  116",  and  for  Miller  110°,  Fahrenheit. 

In  June,  1852,  the  command  at  Miller  was  ordered  on  an  expedi- 
tion to  the  Yosemite  Valley,  and  knowing  that  observations  on 
temperature  at  the  post  would  be  suspended  for  a  while,  and  the 
river  rising  from  the  melting  snow  jn  the  adjacent  mountains.  I  had 
some  curiosity  to  ascertain  the  difterence  in  temperature  between  the 
air  and  the  snow-melted  water  of  the  river,  I  took  the  thermometer 
from  where  it  had  been  exposed  a  few  minutes  in  the  open  air  to  the 
sun,  and  where  it  marked  123*,  and  dipped  its  bulb  into  the  river 
water,  and  it  fell  to  45*— a  difterence  of  78".  The  year  1852  was 
one  of  those  exceptionally  wet  years  referred  to  in  a  paper  in  this 
society's  publication  of  last  year  by  Prof.  J.  M.  Guinn,  in  which  he 
refers  to  the  precipitation  of  this  locality  in  1851-52  (giving  me  as 


JtJSTORtCAL  NOTRS  OP  OLD  I.A,\D  MAItKK 


autSiority)  of  46  inches  ;  bnt  on  hunting  np  and  consulting  the  old 
record  I  found  that  (he  predpitMion  for  185J  was  49.36  inches  ;  and 
ay  adding  to  this  the  precipitation  of  December.  1851,  it  foots  up 
».76  inches  for  the  exceptional  season  of  1851-52.  Whereas  the 
next^tj^  years,  from  1853  to  1857,  inclusive,  only  foots  up  for  the 
fiiv  j'^ars  39.13  inches,  and  this  was  in  the  foothills  :  but  out  on  the 
plains  it  was  considered  so  dry  a  country  that  many  abandoned  it. 

In  1853  a  \xTy  comfortable  adobe  hospital  and  some  new  sets  of 
quarters  were  built,  which  greatly  relieved  the  discomforts  of  the 
post.  Abotit  this  time  certain  parlies  conceived  the  idea  ot  laying 
out  a  town  down  the  river —  a  short  distance  above  where  the  South- 
ern Pacific  railroad  now  crosses  it  —  to  be  called  Joaqu^na.  They  cut 
a  son  of  landing  on  the  bank,  and  induced  a  steamboat  to  come  up 
during  high  water  and  land  at  the  place;  but  t  believe  that  it  was  the 
first  as  well  as  the  last  steamboat  that  landed  there,  and  Joaquina 
remaiiM  as  it  was  —  a  town  of  the  imagination.  Captain,  afterwards 
General  Ord,  I  believe  was  the  last  regular  officer  to  command 
Fort  Miller,  and  he  left  there  in  1858  with  his  command  for  scr\'fce  in 
Oregon,  and  I  accompanied  him. 

The  post  was  finally  abandoned  October  t,  1864,  and  afterwards 
sold,  since  which  time  I  believe  it  has  been  used  as  the  center  of  a 
stock  ranch. 


I 


IX  THH   SACRAMENTO  ANO  SAN  JOAQUIN   VALLEYS. 
[  Oma  Dnocmbcr  I.  IWO.] 

Old  Fokts  Keadinc  and  Tejon.— Old  Fort  Reading  is 
located  in  the  upper  part  of  the  Sacramento  Valley,  in  latitude 
40^  30^  23"  north,  longitude  t23^  5'  west,  and  with  an  altitude  of  674 
feet.  It  holds  about  the  same  relation  to  the  Sacramento  Valley  that 
Fort  Tejon  does  to  the  San  Joaquin  Valley,  being  situated  where  the 
Sierra  Nevada  and  Coast  Range  mountains  separate  to  form  the  Sac- 
ramento  Valley,  whereas  the  latter  is  situated  just  where  they  come 
together  again  after  forming  the  San  Joaquin  Valley.  Fort  Reading 
is  about  a  mile  east  of  the  Sacramento  Ki^'er.  and  in  the  valley  of  and 
near  the  junction  of  a  branch  called  "Cow  Creek." 

It  was  named  after  Maj.  Pierson  B.  Reading,  a  pioneer  of  1843, 
who  lived  in  that  neighborhood,  and  died  in  1868.  The  writer  was 
ordered  to  this  post  as  its  medical  officer,  at  which  he  reported  for 
duty  in  Februar>-,  1854,  and  found  it  occupied  by  two  companies  of 
the  Fourth  U.  S.  Infantry  and  in  command  of  Brevt.-Col.  Wright,  of 
that  regiment.  The  troops  and  employes  were  and  had  been  suffer- 
ing  from    intermittent   fever  since   the    establishment  of    the  post 


•JH        JIISTfWWAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOVTHBBH  CALIFORNIA. 

in  May,  1853.  In  fact,  a  comparison  of  the  statistics  of  diseases  of 
the  post  with  the  abstract  of  diseases  of  all  the  other  posts  in  North- 
ern California,  show  that  one-half  of  all  the  cases  of  intermittent  or 
malarial  fever  reported  occurred  at  this  one  post,  although  the  troops 
were  ctuartered  in  comfortable  adobe  buildings.  The  mean  annual 
tetnperattire  at  the  post  for  three  years — 1852-53-54  —  is  recorded  as 
62.09,  mnximuTTi  tie,  minimnm  15.  range  95,  Fahrenheit,  with  an 
annual  rainfall  for  the  same  period  of  29.02  inches.  Being  very 
susceptible  to  and  suffering  like  others  at  the-  post  from  the 
malaria  of  the  place.  I  was  relieved  from  duty  and  ordered  to  join 
Company  A  of  the  U.  S.  Dragoons,  for  service  at  the  Tejon  Indian 
reservation,  near  which  a  site  for  a  post  had  already  been  selected. 
Fort  Reading  was  abandoned  in  January,  1867. 

PORT   TEJON. 

Old  Fort  Tejon  was  established  August  10,  1854,  in  latitude 
34*  5S'  north,  longitude  1 18"  53'  west.  The  altitude  is  not  given,  but 
it  is  probably  not  less  than  2000  or  2500  feet  above  the  sea  level,  as  it 
is  up  iu  the  mountains  at  what  has  been  called  "the  head  of  the  San 
Joaquin  Valley."  Here  the  Sierra  Nevada  and  Coast  Range 
mountains  meet  and  fonn  a  pass  out  of  the  valley  known  as  the 
"Caflada  de  las  Uvas"  (caflon  of  currents).  Up  this  caflada  some 
three  or  four  miles  in  the  mountains,  where  a  gk-n  containing  a  few 
acres  opens  into  it  from  the  west,  and  about  fifteen  miles  south  and  a 
httle  east  of  the  Indian  reservation  of  the  valley  and  nearly  the 
same  distance  south  of  the  noted  "Tehachipc  pass."  Tejon  is  the 
Spanisb  for  badger,  and  if  the  valley  had  l)een  called  Badger  Valley 
instead  of  Tejon  Valley,  we  thus  would  have  had  unmixed  English, 
and  perhaps  Fori  Badger  instead  of  Fort  Tejon,  which  would  have 
greatly  facilitated  eastern  correspondence,  as  at  first  many  tetters 
were  received  at  the  post  directed  "Fort  Tejohn."  "Fort  Tehon," 
etc.  The  location  of  the  post  was  among  large,  umbrageous  oak 
trees  that  bore  large  crops  of  acorns,  and  therefore  had  been  a  great 
rendezvous  for  grizr-Iy  bears  which  infested  the  surrounding  moun- 
taina.  When  the  acorns  were  ripe,  and  for  the  first  few  days  after 
the  command  was  encamped  there,  it  was  visited  nightly  by  a  very 
large  grizzly,  which  generally  sumpeded  all  the  horses  and  mules  in 
camp,  nntil  he  found  out  that  the  carbines  of  the  soldiers  were  dan- 
gerous. 

My  tent  was  pitched  under  one  of  those  large  oaks,  which  was 
hewn  fiat  on  one  side,  and  on  this  hewn  surface  was  engraven  the 
words  :  "I,  John  Beck,  was  killed  here  by  a  bear,  October  17,  1837." 
I  inquired  of  the  Indians  living  at  the  mouth  of  the  caflada,  who 


HJSTOUIVAL  NOTES  Of  OLD  LASI>  HAHK&  Zf 

wtie  the  only  inhabitants  there  at  that  time,  in  rcRard  to  the  matter, 
and  got  the  information  that,  many  years  previously  some  trappers 
were  passing  throuKh  the  caflada,  when,  seeing  so  many  bears,  one  of 
the  party  went  off  by  himself  in  pursuit  of  a  large  grizzly  and  shot 
it  under  that  tree,  and  supposing  that  he  had  killed  tt,  went  up  to  it, 
when  it  caught  and  killed  him,  and  his  compauions  buried  him  under 
the  tree,  upon  which  they  cut  his  epitaph.  This  locality,  although  a 
great  resort  for  bears,  had  also  been  a  great  slaughter  ground  for  them, 
as  was  evidenced  by  the  great  number  of  bear  skuILt  that  were  to  be 
seen  lying  around,  for  within  a  hundred  yards  or  so  from  my  tent  I 
collected  and  threw  into  a  pile  a  dozen  or  more  in  one  day 
after  arri\*ing  on  the  ground. 

Port  Tejon.  though  pleasant  in  summer,  being  in  the  moutitains, 
was  snbject  to  great  snow  storms  in  winter,  and  then  it  became  v-cry 
cold,  of  which  I  have  a  very  vivid  though  painful  recollection, 
although  thirty-nine  years  ago.  Being  called  out  of  bed  one  such 
uigbt  in  December,  1854,  while  su0enng  from  the  prostrating  effects 
of  chronic  malarial  fever  (a  souvenir  of  Reading),  to  see  an  old 
sergeant  who  had  been  seriously  injured,  acron»  the  mountains  some 
&ve  miles  distant,  I  went  forth  in  the  height  of  a  snow  storm,  accom- 
panied by  B  teamster,  who,  in  consequence  of  the  depth  of  the  snow, 
lost  the  trail,  resulting,  consequently,  in  great  hardship  and  unusual 
exertion,  which,  together  with  being  pitched  over  the  head  of  a  fall- 
ing horse,  resulted  in  a  paralytic  stroke  on  returning  to  the  past  the 
following  morning.  As  soon  as  I  was  able  to  travel  after  this  acci- 
dent I  was  ordered  East  —  having  beeu  on  the  Coast  about  six  years, 
and  ID  which  I  again  returned  early  in  1857,  when  the  recollections 
of  my  friends  and  acquaintances  were  fresh  in  regard  to  the  great 
earthquake  of  the  previous  January,  especially  at  Tejon. 

The  quarters  of  the  officers  and  soldiers  and  houses  generally  ot 
Tejon  were  made  of  adobe,  among  which  the  damage  was  greater 
from  the  earthquake  mentioned  than  at  any  other  point  where  it  was 
felt.  Chimneys  were  thrown  down  and  the  walls  of  the  houses  were 
so  greatly  damaged  that  the  inmates  took  refuge  in  tents  on  and  about 
the  parade  ground .  The  effects  of  the  quake  seemed  to  have  been 
worse  here  and  through  the  mountains  eastward  than  anywhere 
else,  as  the  earth  was  ojwued  by  a  rent  some  eight  or  ten  feet  wide, 
and  in  places  more,  and  which  was  more  or  less  traceable,  as  I  was 
informed  by  an  old  pioneer  of  San  Bernardino  county  who  was  in  the 
habit  of  driving  cattle  over  this  route  to  the  North  —  from  near  the 
southwest  corner  of  that  county,  through  the  mountains  by  Elizabeth 
I,ake.  to  Tejon,  where  its  effects  were  the  most  severe. 

This  rent  closed  up  immediately,  but  the  loosened  earth  thrown 
up  would  not  fit  back  in  it,  and  therefore  left  more  or  less  of  a  ridge 


i»        muTOJiiCAL  SrtCISTY  OF  SOVTItBRX  CAIJPOHNIA. 


•which  marked  the  line  of  eruption.  This  convnlsion  was  very 
severely  felt  in  the  Tulare  Valley  ant]  as  far  west  as  the  San  Joaqtiin 
Ri\-er.  aod  caused  some  rather  amusing  (as  well  as  serious)  iocidents 
of  which  the  following  is  worthy  of  being  mentioned,  as  told  to  the 
writer  a  few  months  afterwards  : 

A  miner  who  bad  spread  his  blankets,  and  with  his  rifle  by  his 
side  had  passed  the  night  nea.r  one  of  the  large  oak  trees  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  post,  was  lying  there  awake,  when  the  quake 
frightened  him  up,  just  in  time  to  see  the  earth  open  and  close  for- 
ever over  his  blankets  and  beloved  rifle.  In  Tulare  Valley,  near  the 
Lake,  an  old  forty-niner  who  had  been  sheriff  of  the  county  at  one 
time  and  who  was  well  known  to  the  writer  as  being  a  man  of 
veracity,  who  was  called  "Poin"  for  short,  said  that  he  and  a  friend 
had  gone  out  among  the  big  trees  of  the  valley  hunting  wild  pigeons 
on  the  moniing  of  the  earthquake,  and  his  friend  seeing  some 
pigeons  in  a  big  tree,  fired  at  them,  killing  some,  while  the  remainder 
of  the  flock  flew  away,  aud  just  then  the  effect  of  the  quake  was  seen 
in  the  swaying  to  and  fro  of  the  big  tree,  when  the  friend  remarked: 
"  Well,  did  you  ever  see  so  small  a  flock  uf  pigeous  shake  so  large  a 
tree  V*  and  stooping  to  pick  up  a  bird  that  had  fallen  dead  from  the 
tree,  tipped  over  on  his  nose  ;  but  rising  up,  very  much  frightened, 
said,  "Poin.  what's  the  matter  with  the  world?"  who,  with  blanched 
cheek  and  protruding  eyes,  replied,  "Damfiuo  —  let's  go;"  where- 
upon both  men  started  and  ran  three-quarters  of  a  mile  to  a  house 
where  there  was  a  woman  and  children  who  were  crj-ing  and  \'ery 
much  frightened  at  what  they  had  just  experienced :  but  the  oldest 
child,  a  girl  of  some  twelve  or  thirteen  years,  who  had  been  away  to 
school  where  she  had  learned  something  of  the  phenomenon  that  had 
alarmed  them,  was  trying  to  explain  to  the  mother  that  it  was  an 
earthquake.  "And  this,"  he  said,  "was  the  first  time  that  the 
thought  of  an  earthquake  bad  entered  the  heads  of  us  two 
bearded  men." 

The  following  meteorological  data  is  taken  from  the  records  of 
the  post  for  three  years,  1856-57-58  :  Mean  annual  temperature  for 
three  years,  58.73°  (Fahrenheit);  maximum  annual  average  tempera- 
ture for  three  years,  94"  (Fahrenheit);  minimum  annual  temperature 
for  three  years,  25°  (Fahrenheit):  range  of  thermometer,  average, 
for  three  years,  69"  (Fahrenheit).  Mean  number  of  (annua!)  rainy 
days  for  same  time,  43  ;  mean  number  of  (annual)  snowy  days  for 
same  time,  9,  which  snow,  when  melted  and  added  to  the  rain  water, 
made  the  annual  precipitation  32.63  inches. 

Tejon  was  the  only  post  in  Southern  California  where  snow  fell. 

The  post,  as  a  military  station,  was  abandoned  September 
11,   1864. 


JUSTOitWAL  SOTBS  OF  OLU  LAND  JiAJiKS, 


£» 


tX  SOUTBSKR   CALirOSNIA. 

military  stations  of  San   Louis  Rey,   Rancho  del  Cbino, 
Ranclio  de  Jurupa,  Camp  Gady  and  Dmm  Barracks. 

Id  nrriting  np  htstorical  notes  of  the  old,  abandoned  military 
posts  aud  stations  of  Southern  California,  it  .seem;;  proper  that  the 
above  mentioned  abandoned  stations,  though  probably  of  le<ts  im- 
portance than  some  of  those  mentioned  heretofore,  should  not  be 
overlooked. 

Sam  Louis  Rkv.— The  old  mission  of  that  name,  in  San  Diego 
Cotinty,  some  forty  miles  northwest  of  the  city  of  Sau  iHego,  was 
occupied  by  a  troop  of  the  First  U.  S.  Dragoons  from  1848  to  1849, 
rhen,  in  May  of  the  latter  year,  it  was  abandoned. 

Rancho  del  Chino— was  occupied  in  1851  as  a  military  station 
by  a  company  of  the  Second  U.  S.  Infantry  until  September,  1S53. 
when  the  troops  were  transferred  to  the  Rancho  de  Jurupa.  some 
twenty  miles  to  the  eastward,  on  the  Santa  Ana  River,  and  near  the 
present  site  of  the  town  of  Riverside,  in  latitude  34°  N..  longitude 
117^  27'  W.,  aud  altitude  1,000  feet.  The  mean  temperature  for  the 
two  stations  for  1S53  is  given  at  65.54°  Fahrenheit,  and  the  amount  of 
rain  for  the  same  year  as  S.20  inches.  The  station  was  abandoned  in 
April,  1854. 

Camp  Cadv — is  said  to  have  been  regularly  established  as  a  mil- 
itary station  in  1S68,  but  small  bodies  of  infantry  had  occupied  a 
position  near  the  latter  establishment  for  several  years  previously. 
The  regular  establishment  was  on  the  north  bauk  of  the  Mojavc 
River,  and  on  the  road  leading  from  Wilmington,  California,  on  the 
coast,  (distant  151  miles),  to  northern  Aritooa.  It  was  named  in 
lionor  of  Col.  Cady  of  the  Eighth  U.  S.  Infantry.  It  was  occupied 
by  infantry,  and  was  established  to  protect  the  sparsely  settled  district 
of  Southern  California,  and  the  line  of  travel  to  Utah  and  Arizona. 
against  the  roving  bands  of  Indians  that  infested  that  part  of  the 
country  at  that  time.  The  country  in  which  the  station  was  situated 
is  considered  a  part  of  the  Mojave  desert,  and  Ls  dry  and  mostly 
sterile.  The  mean  annual  temperature  for  the  year  of  1868  is  given 
as  68.  [8"  Fahrenheit,  the  maximum  as  116**,  minimum  22'',  with  the 
remark  that  "there  has  been  but  very  little  rain  in  this  locality." 
The  post  was  abandoned  as  a  military  station  in  1871. 

Dkuu  Barracks — are  situated  in  Los  Angeles  County,  California, 
one  mile  from,  and  thirty-five  feet  above  tide  water,  at  Wilmington, 
in  latitude  33°  42'  N..  and  longitude  118"  r?'  8"  W.,  being  about 
twenty  miles  south  of  Los  Angeles  city.  The  Barracks  have  the 
ocean  on  the  south  side,  but  on  the  other  sides  are  surrounded  by 


so        HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA. 

a  plain  which  reaches  inland  to  the  foot  hills  and  spurs  of  the  Coast 
Range  and  Sierra  Nevada  mountains.  The  Barracks  were  established 
in  September,  1862,  as  a  result  of  the  late  war,  and  named  in  honor 
of  Adjutant  General  Drum.  At  first  they  were  occupied  by  Cali- 
fornia volunteers,  but  later  as  a  sort  of  rendezvous  for  recruits  for 
the  troops  in  Arizona,  and  a  depot  for  supplies  for  the  same,  when 
the  permanent  garrison  consisted  of  only  one  company  of  regular 
troops. 

The  hospital  was  the  largest  and  most  substantial  building  at  the 
Barracks,  and  was  considered  and  used  as  a  sort  of  general  hospital 
for  the  sick  of  the  transient  troops,'  The  writer  was  stationed  there 
as  the  chief  medical  officer  of  the  hospital,  from  April,  1866,  to  May, 
1869.  The  mean  annual  temperature  for  that  time  at  the  Barracks 
I  find  recorded  as  62"  Fahrenheit ;  maximum  102°,  and  minimum  32*^. 

The  Barracks,  as  a  military  establishment,  were  abandoned  in 
:87i,  and  the  buildings  subsequently  sold  at  auction,  some  of  which 
were  removed,  some  burned  down,  and  some,  with  the  hospital  build- 
ing, still  remain. 


THE  LOS  ANQELES  RIVER— ITS  HISTORY  AND  OWNERSHIP. 


C.    p.    DOKLANZ). 


[BcAd  UtO.} 

The  subject  uodei  consideratiou  is  the  title  aud  ownership  of  the 
water  iu  the  Los  Aageles  River. 

The  City  of  Los  Augeles  has  exercised  and  enjoyed  exclusive 
control  of  all  the  water  and  all  of  the  bed  of  the  river  within  its 
limits  so  loug  that  the  memory  of  no  living  man  runs  to  the  contrary; 
henc«  the  right  and  title  to  the  water  by  prescription  b  fully 
established. 

The  written  evidence  of  the  title  to  the  river  is  found  tn  various 
State  papers,  in  orders  of  Spanish  Governors,  in  the  records  of  the 
pueblo  of  Los  Angeles,  and  in  the  decisions  ctf  the  courts;  and  among 
the  more  important  are  the  following  : 

In  Volume  II,  page  393.  of  Provincial  State  Papers,  dated 
December  27,  1779,  is  a  communication  from  the  Commandante  Gen- 
eral of  the  Califomias  to  Don  Fernando  de  Rivera  y  Moncada,  which 
Tedtes  the  determination  of  the  Govenimeut  to  occupy  the  channel 
of  Santa  Barbara  and  found  the  pueblo  to  be  called  "Nuestta 
Seoora,  la  Reyna  de  Los  Angeles,"  on  the  Rio  Porciuncula,  and 
directs  said  Don  Fernando  to  carry  out  said  determination,  as  follows  : 

To  settle  said  pueblo  with  families  and  soldiers  told  off  from  the 
garrison,  in  order  to  increase  the  population  of  the  province,  and  also 
for  the  especial  purpose  of  stock-raising. 

In  the  following  September  the  Commandante  empowered  Gov- 
ernor Don  Felipe  de  Neve  to  establish  the  fort  at  Santa  Barbara,  and 
two  pueblos,  the  object  being  to  obtain  land  and  water  for  cultivation 
and  to  assist  in  paying  the  gfcnera!  expenses  of  the  government. 

In  the  same  record's.  Volume  i,  page  17,  is  a  communication 
from  the  Commandante  Qcneral  to  the  Governor  of  the  Califomias. 
in  which  reference  is  made  to  the  places  existing  in  the  province* 
between  San  Francisco  and  San  Diego  with  facilities  for  irrigation 
and  for  agriculture.  That  one  of  the  places  was  on  the  Rio  Porci- 
uncula,  forty-two  leagues  from  San  Diego  and  two  leagues  from  the 
mission  of  San  Gabriel :  and  theu  refers  to  the  object  of  the  establish- 
ment of  the  pueblos,  and  recites  his  selection  of  nine  soldiers,  prac- 
ticed in  agriculture,  aud  five  farmers,  with  their  families,  for  each 
pncblo;  also  the  setting  apart  to  each  settler,  besides  the  lot  (solar) 


* 


82        mSTORtCAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOVTItERlf  CALIFORNIA. 

on  which  he  was  to  erect  his  house,  certain  irrigable  lands  for  the 
planting  of  a  fanega  of  corn,  together  with  horses,  cattle  of  all  kinds, 
tools,  seed,  etc. 

lu  Volume  I  of  Missions  and  Colonizations,  page  416.  of  the 
date  of  August  26,  [781.  nre  the  orders  and  regulations  of  Governor 
Don  Felipe  de  Neve  for  the  establishment  of  the  pueblo  of  Los 
Angeles,  on  the  Rio  Porciuncula.  That  there  should  be  reserved  to 
the  crown  one-quarter  of  the  arable  and  dry  lands  for  the  benefit  of 
new  settlers,  and  assigning  certain  tracts  to  the  publeo ;  also  provid- 
ing thnt  within  the  four  leagues  assigned  as  the  limits  ol  the  pueblo, 
all  pasturage,  woods,  water,  water  privileges,  hunting,  fishing,  stone- 
qnarries,  etc.,  shall  be  for  the  common  use  and  benefit  of  the  Span- 
iards and  Indians  residing  therein.  This  provision  concerning  the 
common  use  of  woods,  pasture  lands  and  water  privileges  was  con- 
firmed by  a  general  law  October  24,  1781. 

In  pursuance  to  the  above  orders  the  pueblo  of  Ix»  Angeles  was 
officialls"  established  July  26,  1786,  and  was  forty  two  leagues  from 
San  Diego  and  two  leagues  from  San  Gabnel. 

The  site  was  four  leagues  square  and  on  elevated  ground, 
eujoying  the  north  and  south  winds  and  avoiding  the  risks  of  inunda- 
tion. It  was  located  on  both  sides  of  the  river,  and  a  main  ditch  was 
dug,  running  through  the  town.  The  lands  were  laid  oat  in  tracts, 
with  streets  and  a  plaza.  The  tracts  were  two  hundred  varas  in 
length  and  the  same  in  width,  this  being  the  space  required  for  the 
planting  of  a  fauega  of  corn. 

In  Volume  I.  page  710.  dated  August  14, 1786.  is  set  out  an  order 
from  Don  Pedro  Fages,  the  successor  of  de  Neve,  to  Don  JosA 
Aigiiello  of  Santa  Barbara,  to  proceed  to  Los  Angeles  and  give  formal 
possession  to  the  settlers  in  accordance  with  the  terms  of  the  royal 
decrees  giving  and  setting  apart  to  each  settler  his  lot  of  land  hereto- 
fore assigned  to  him  :  that  he  should  clearly  define  and  designate 
what  arc  public  domains,  to  wit :  water,  pasturage,  woods,  etc. ;  the 
settlers  to  accept  their  lands  under  this  understanding  and  to  sig^ 
instruments  to  that  effect. 

In  the  report  made  by  Don  Josd  ArgHello,  dated  September  5, 
1736,  he  says  he  confirmed  to  each  settler  his  respective  lot  of  land 
and  measured  the  nnassigncd  lands  for  the  common  nse  of  pasture, 
with  the  common  right  in  all  the  water,  wood,  pasturage,  fishing,  etc., 
explaining  the  same  to  the  settlers :  to  all  of  which  they  assented, 
making  the  sign  of  the  cross,  as  none  of  them  could  write. 

In  Volume  XIX,  page  956,  Provincial  State  Papers,  is  the 
account  of  the  injury  done  to  the  pueblo  of  Los  Angeles  by  the  erec- 
tion of  a  dam  on  the  Cahilenga  Rancho  by  the  priests  of  the  mission 


• 


fflSTORY  OF  TUB  LOS  ANQELES  RIVER. 


ss 


of  San  Fernando,  whereby  the  water  of  the  river  was  diverted  from 
its  channel.  A  committee  was  appointed  to  in\*cstigate,  and  later 
reported  that  the  said  dam  ctits  off  the  source  of  our  water  for  irrlga* 
tion.  thereby  causing  damage  and  suffering. 

The  authorities  at  San  Fernando  denied  this  and  claimed  that 
the  dam  had  been  used  by  a  former  occupant  fourteen  years,  but  the 
mission  authorities  finally  yielded  all  right  to  the  water  and  asked 
permission  to  use  a  sufficient  quantity  for  irrigating  a  small  tract  nec- 
essary for  the  mission,  with  the  precise  understanding  that  at  what- 
e\-er  time  the  least  damage  shonld  be  caused  to  the  settlers  of  the 
pueblo  of  Los  Angeles  on  account  of  the  diminution  of  water  the 
mission  should  cease  to  use  the  !>ame.  This  agreement  was  dated 
March  36,  i8ot,  and  was  forwarded  by  Don  Jos^  Argilello  to  the 
Governor. 

A  complaint  was  made  to  the  city  authorities  April  4.  1836,  that 
the  person  in  charge  of  the  San  Fernando  mission  was  making  a  dam 
in  the  river  of  the  city,  to  the  injury  of  the  inhabitants  thereof; 
whereupon  an  investigating  coramtttee  was  appointed,  which  a  week 
later  reported  that  one  of  the  springs  which  forms  the  source  of  the 
river  was  dammed  up,  but  that  the  same  was  doing  no  damage  to  the 
dty,  and  that  the  person  in  charge  of  the  mission  had  promised  that 
if  in  any  e%*ent  the  said  dam  should  cause  any  damage  to  the  city  he 
would  at  his  own  cost  be  responsible  for  the  injury,  and  should 
there  be  a  scarcity  of  water  he  would  destroy  the  dam  and  let  the 
water  go.    (See  City  Archives,  Vol.  II.  page  131,  et  seq,) 

For  the  various  acts  of  the  legislature  of  this  State  concerning  the 
rights  of  the  city  to  the  old  pueblo  grants,  see  act  approved  April  4, 
1850,  Statutes  of  1854,  page  205  ;  Statutes  of  1857,  page  329. 

February  17,  1841.  the  city  granted  to  Maria  Ygnacio  Verdugo 
dc  Felir  the  right  to  use  water  from  the  river  upon  lands  now  consti- 
tuting the  Los  Felix  rancho.     (See  Book  X.  page  538.  of  Deeds.) 

October  3,  1845,  Don  Vicente  de  la  Osa  granted  a  right  of  way  for 
a  xanja,  to  use  water  from  the  river,  to  Don  Maria  Ygnacio  Verdugo, 
across  the  pasture  land  of  Feliz  or  the  enclosure  of  San  Jos^. 
(Recorded  in  Book  X,  page  530  of  Deeds.) 

Josi^  Antonio  Feliz,  deceased,  by  A.  K.  Coronel,  executor, 
deeded  to  C.  V.  Howard,  for  $10,000,  the  Rancho  Los  Feliz,  reciting 
that  the  boundary  line  on  one  side  was  the  middle  of  the  stream  of 
the  Los  Augeles  River.  This  deed  is  dated  October  5.  1863,  and  is 
recorded  in  Book  XI,  page  108,  of  Deeds. 

Under  dale  of  December  a.  1868,  C.  V.  Howard  sold  to  the  Lo« 
Angeles  Canat  and  Reservoir  Company  the  use  of  a  certain  zanja, 
through  which  the  water  was  running  across  the  Los  Fehx  Rancho, 


54         inHTORit'AL  HOCJETY  OF  S0U7'HEJSN  VALtFORNiA. 


reserving  the  right  to  take  water  from  said  ditch  at  all  times.     (See 
Book  XI,  page  333,  of  Deeds.) 

Afterwards  the  Canal  &  Reservoir  Company  gave  a  lease  to  the 
City  cf  Los  Angeles  to  said  zanja.  (See  Book  III,  page  it$,  of 
Leases. 

At  this  point  begins  the  history  of  the  city  water  works,  and 
afterward  franchises  and  contracts  were  made  with  various  private 
parties  that  have  resulted  in  the  city  water  supply  being  where  it  is 
at  this  day. 

The  city  afterward  made  a  lease  with  one  Sansevaia  to  supply 
the  city  with  water.  He  soon  afterwards  transferred  his  interest  to 
a  corporation  known  as  the  Los  Angeles  City  Water  Co.,  and  the  city 
made  a  lease  with  said  company  in  )S68,  to  continue  thirty  years. 
By  the  termtt  of  said  lease,  the  said  water  company  was  to  pay  an 
annual  rental  of  $1,500  to  thu  city  for  the  use  of  ten  inches  of  water 
from  the  river,  but  within  the  first  year's  existence  of  the  lease,  a 
rebate  of  $i,ioo  per  annum  was  made  to  the  company,  provided  it 
would  plant  trees,  and  keep  in  grass,  and  build  a  monument  in  the 
plaza,  now  in  Chinatown,  which  has  been  done,  except  the  building 
of  the  monument. 

There  was  also  a  lease  made  with  the  Cltissens'  Water  Company 
for  supplying  certain  parts  of  the  hill  portions  of  the  city. 

In  1873,  the  City  of  I^s  Angeles  brought  suit  against  Leou 
McL.  Baldwin  to  quiet  its  title  to  two  irrigation  heads  of  water  that 
said  Baldwin  and  others  were  appropriating  and  claiming  to  own, 
taken  from  the  river,  and  being  used  upon  the  Los  Fehz  rancho. 
In  that  action  the  court  says  that  the  city  is  not  the  owner  of  the 
corpus  of  the  water  of  the  river  so  far  as  appears  from  the  evidence. 
(See  53,  Cal.  469.)  By  reason  of  this  decision,  and  a  failure  to  pros- 
ecute a  former  action  brought  against  the  same  parties,  the  city  paid. 
C.J.  Griffith  $50,000,  in  1884,  to  buy  back  the  said  two  irrigation 
heads  of  water.     (See  Book  18,  page  332  City  Records.) 

This  case  was  allowed  to  go  against  the  city  by  default,  and  the 
merits  of  the  question  were  not  considered  by  the  court,  and  while 
the  question  of  title  was  not  considered,  yet  it  cost  the  city  $50,000 
to  pay  for  a  quantity  of  water  of  which  it  was  absolute  owner,  and 
which  it  never  sold  nor  was  deprived  of  the  title  to. 

In  the  case  of  Anastacio  Feliz  v%.  City  of  Los  Angeles,  (in  58 
Cal.  73).  the  action  was  brought  against  the  city  for  cutting  oflf  the 
water  of  the  Los  Angeles  river  from  plaintiff's  ditch.  The  court  found 
that,  ever  since  the  foundation  of  the  pueblo  in  1786.  the  pueblo,  or 
its  successor,  the  city,  had.  at  all  times,  exercised  the  control  of,  and 
claimed  the  exclusive  right  to  use  all  the  water  of  the  said  river,  and 


UISroH  Y  OF  TilR  LOa  ASiOMLHiS  ftiVER. 


ss 


said  riglit  had  be^u  duly  recognized  and  allowed  by  the  owners  of 
the  land  at  tbe  source  and  borderin^f  on  said  river. 

At  tbe  hearing  in  the  lower  court,  McNealy  judge,  a  perpetual 
Djunction  was  granted,  enjoining  and  restraining  tbe  city  from  inter- 
'fering  witb  the  plaintiff.  Feliz,  iu  the  appropriation  aud  use  of  suf- 
ficient water  from  the  river  for  the  purpose  of  irrigation  and  domestic 
use  upon  the  Feliz  rancho.  The  Supreme  Court  set  aside  the 
injunction,  and  reversed  the  judgment  of  the  lower  court. 

In  rendering  this  opinion,  the  Supreme  Court  observes,  however, 
that  the  city  was  entitled  to  such  a  quantity  only  as  it  needed  for  its 
supply:  and  that,  if  there  was  a  surplus  in  tbe  river,  over  and  above 
the  needs  of  the  land  situated  within  the  city  limits,  that  the  surplus 
•might  be  appropriated  by  riparian  owners  above  the  city,  and  that 
the  city  could  not  sell  the  water  to  parties  outside  tbe  city  to  the 
detriment  of  upper  riparian  owners. 

Thus  it  is  established,  not  only  by  grant  from  tlie  Spanish  gov- 
ernment, by  continued  use,  but  by  acknowledged  right  by  parties  in 
interest,  and  also  by  our  Supreme  Court,  that  the  city  is  tbe  unqual- 
[ified  owner  of  all  the  water  flowing  in  the  Los  Angeles  River,  neces- 
sary for  all  purposes  of  irrigation  and  domestic   use  within  the  city. 

The  river  is  said  to  contain,  on  an  average,  7,000  miner's  inches 
of  water,  and  that  at  its  source  the  water  is  as  clear  and  pure  as  that 
of  any  other  mountain  stream. 

The  Crystal  Springs  Land  and  Water  Company  is  a  corporation 
that  was  organized  November  sth,  1886,  the  stockholders  being  tbe 
same  as  those  of  tbe  Los  Angeles  City  Water  Co.,  and  owning  stock 
in  about  the  same  proportion. 

The  whole  plant  of  the  old  water  company,  including  its  fran- 
chise, pipes,  flumes,  reservoirs,  etc.,  was  sold  to  the  new  company  for 
the  sum  of  one  dollar  and  other  consideration  not  mentioned.  There 
seems  to  be  a  suspicion  that  this  new  company  is  formed  for  the  pur- 
pose of  attempting  to  secure  title  and  ownership  in  the  water  of  the 
river,  as  it  is  developing  water,  building  dams  and  laying  pipe  on  a 
piece  of  ground  in  the  river  bottom  and  taking  water  by  percolation 
from  the  river. 

This  suspicion  is  so  strong  that  the  city  council  has  ordered  suit 
commenced  to  enjoin  the  Crystal  Springs  Land  and  Water  Company 
from  diverting  or  appropriating  any  of  the  water  of  the  Los  Angeles 
River.  This  case  is  now  pending  in  the  Superior  Court  of  this 
county,  and  is  entitled  "The  City  of  Los  Angeles  vs.  The  Crystal 
Springs  Land  and  Water  Company,"  and  is  case  number  16437  on  the 
'court  docket. 


DESTRUCTION    OF   THE    CATHOLIC    MISSIONS    ON    THE    RIO 
COLORADO    IN    1781. 


VKRV   R^VBRKND  J.    ADAH,    V.  G. 


[H«ad  April  s.  laa.] 

The  new  commander,  D.  Teodoro  Croix,  from  Sonora,  sent  orders 
to  the  governor  of  California,  Felipe  de  Neve,  to  send  Captain  Fer- 
nando Ri\'era  to  the  Ariifif  to  recruit  seventy-five  soldiers  in  order  to 
establish  a  fort  and  three  missions  along  the  Santa  Barbara  channel. 
Each  mission  was  to  be  protected  by  soldiers,  and  the  rest  were  to 
occupy  the  fort.  In  addition  to  the  soldiers  the  captain  was 
instructed  to  try  to  induce  some  families  to  come  and  establish  a  town 
to  be  called  "Pueblo  de  ^^^uestra  Seflora  de  Los  Angeles."  near  the 
river  called  Porziuncula. 

At  the  same  time  the  new  commander  requested  the  Fathers  of 
the  College  of  Qucretaro  to  establish  two  missions  on  the  Colorado 
River  to  try  to  con\-ert  the  Indians,  and  also  to  sectire  the  route 
newly  discovered  via  that  river  to  the  missions  of  California. 

The  missions  of  Colorado  were  established  on  a  different  plan 
from  those  of  California.  No  forts  were  erected,  only  eight  soldiers 
were  allowed  for  each  mission,  and  eight  settlers,  married  and  with 
families.  A  sergeant  was  the  commanding  officer  in  one  misaon  and 
an  ensign  in  the  other.  The  missionaries  were  to  attend  only  to  the 
spiritual  affairs,  and  the  gentiles,  when  baptized,  were  to  continue  to 
live  on  their  ranches  and  to  provide  for  themselves.  This  new  pro- 
cedure was  not  successful.  The  Indians  killed  Che  officer,  sergeant 
soldiers  and  settlers,  with  the  exception  of  a  few  that  were  made 
captives.  The  four  missionaries  were  also  killed  and  their  buildings 
destroyed.     This  occurred  in  1781. 

As  soon  as  the  govenior  received  the  order  from  his  commander 
he  sent  Capt.  Rivera,  who  embarked  at  Loretto,  and  began  bis 
recruiting  in  Sinaloa,  sending  companies  of  recruits,  soldiers  and 
settlers  by  sea  to  Loretto,  with  instructions  for  them  to  go  up  by  land 
to  San  Diego.  Those  whom  he  recruited  in  Sonoro  he  brought  with 
him  to  the  Colorado  River,  with  more  than  a  thousand  head  of  mules 
and  horses. 

When  the  captain  arrived  at  the  Colorado  River  he  found  two 
mis^ons  already  established.  His  horses  and  mules  being  very  poor 
and  sick  be  determined  to  remain  along  the  banks  of  the  river  until 


1 
I 
I 


DESTSWTIOH  OF  THE  VA  TUOUC  MISSIONS. 


St 


they  would  fatten,  as  he  had  two  hundred  and  eighty  mJIes  more  to 
travel  from  there  to  San  Gabriel  missioD.  He  remained  near  the 
river  witb  a  sergeaat  and  bis  soldiers  of  Monterey,  and  sent  the 
recruits  ahead,  led  by  an  officer  and  nine  soldiers  from  the  barracks  of 
Sonora. 

The  Mission  of  San  Gabriel  was  at  that  time  fall  of  activity,  as  it 
was  the  central  point  for  the  recruits  thai  arrived  from  Lower  Cali- 
fornia and  those  that  n^rc  coming  up  by  way  of  the  river  Colorado. 
Seeing  so  many  troops.  Governor  Ne\x  sent  back  the  ensign  officer 
and  nine  veterans  to  Sonora  by  way  of  the  Colorado  ;  but  before 
they  arrived  near  the  river  they  were  told  that  the  Vuma  Indians  had 
killed  the  missionaries  and  soldiers  and  destroyed  the  mission  build- 
ings. The  officer,  being  a  man  of  great  courage,  paid  no  attention 
to  this  alarming  news.  Proceeding  on  his  march  he  saw  that  the 
buildings  had  been  reduced  to  ashes,  and  found  the  bodies  of  the  dead 
anburied.  He  saw  himself  at  once  surrounded  by  those  savages;  but 
he  fought  bravely  and  1(^1  two  of  hi.<>  .soldiers,  and  another  was 
wounded.  With  his  remaining^  troops  he  retired  to  San  Gabriel, 
fighting  his  way  the  whole  distance,  as  the  Indians  were  molesting 
and  pursuing  him. 

He  had  to  wait  at  San  Gabriel  until  the  Governor  ordered  him 
to  go  bock  to  Sonora  with  his  remaining  seven  veterans,  and  give  an 
account  to  Chief  Commander  Croix  of  what  had  happened.* 

Fearing  a  general  uprising  Neve  remained  at  San  Gabriel  with  his 
troops.  Meanwhile  he  gave  orders  to  establi-ih  a  town  of  Spaniards 
near  the  River  Porziuncula.  He  gathered  together  all  settlers  and 
gave  them  land  near  the  river  about  four  leagues  from  the  mission, 
and  escorted  by  a  corporal  and  three  soldiers  the  puebto  of  our  Lady 
of  Los  Angeles  was  founded  on  the  4th  of  September,  1781. 

After  six  months  had  passed  without  any  uprising  the  Governor 
determined  to  pass  on  to  the  founding  of  the  Mission  of  Sau  Buena 
Ventura,  accompanied  by  Father  Junipero  Scrra,  who  bad  come  down 
all  the  way  on  foot  from  San  Carlos,  near  Monterey.  He  rested  one 
night  in  our  newly  founded  town  of  Los  Angeles. 

The  convoy  of  this  expedition  was  very  brilliant.  Many  troops 
and  families  accompanied  the  Governor,  and  Fathers  Serra  and 
Cambon.  At  the  close  of  the  firjii  day's  journey  a  mail  courier  came 
to  the  Governor  with  a  letter  stating  that  Captaiu  Pedro  Fag£s  had 
arrived  at  San  Gabriel  with  important  papers.  The  Governor  at 
once,  with  ten  soldiers,  went  back  to  the  mission  where  Captain 
Fagte  was  waiting.     He  brought  to  him  important  documents  con- 


•Tta*  Oovcmor  sent  Uil«  omc«r.  Ueui.Hlnum,  and  hln  puny  |4>  Hnnor*  ity  woyof 
Uttwito. 


8S         iUSlV/tlVAI.  SOCJKTY  OF SOVTUHHy  CAUFOSHtA. 


taining  reports  of  what  had  happened  on  the  Rio  Colorado.  Father 
Palou,  in  his  life  of  Father  Junipero  Serra,  ackuowledges  to  ha\'e 
read  these  papers,  through  the  kindness  of  Captaiu  Fag<Ss.  and 
through  him  he  gives  us  important  items  concerning  the  Yuma  Indi- 
ans and  what  moved  them  to  destroy  the  missions. 

He  says  that  the  Yuma  Indians  that  were  living  along  the  banks 
of  River  Colorado  at  first  showed  themselves  well  inclined 
towards  the  missionaries  and  soldiers,  apparently  being  glad  Ibat 
white  people  had  settled  near  them.  Two  missions  were  then 
founded,  one  named  Puristma  Concepcion,  and  the  other  three  leagues 
distant,  called  Sau  Pedro  y  San  Pablo,  both  on  the  California  side  o^ 
the  river.  The  fathers  had  no  means  to  allure  the  Indians  with  little 
trinkets,  and  as  they  could  not  remain  long  amongst  them,  their  con- 
version was  slow  and  limited.  However,  they  used  to  go  and 
exchange  articles  with  the  soldiers,  they  giving  com  and  other  seeds 
and  the  soldiers  returning  cloth.  Some  few  were  baptized,  but  they 
seldom  came  to  the  missitm,  and  the  fathers  still  more  rarely  conld  go 
after  them  on  their  ranches. 

The  Yuma  Indians  seeing  that  the  cattle  of  the  white  people 
were  eating  the  pasture  needed  for  their  own  animals  and  that  the 
few  patches  of  fertile  ground  where  they  raised  watermelons,  beans, 
and  pumpkins  were  taken  by  the  white  people,  they  began  to  look 
upon  them  as  invaders,  aud  vengeance  was  brooding  within  their 
savage  breasts. 

The  settlers  could  not  see  any  danger,  but  the  missionaries  being 
men  of  experience  knew  how  little  the  savages  could  be  relied  upon, 
and  began  preparing  their  people  for  the  worst. 

On  Snnday,  mass  being  o\'er,  at  the  same  time  the  Indians 
attacked  both  missions,  set  fire  to  them,  killed  the  four  priests  and 
all  the  soldiers  except  a  few  that  made  f^ood  their  escape.  One  of 
the  soldiers  reached  Sonora  and  gave  the  alarm.  The  Commander- 
General  then  sent  troops  there,  led  by  Captain  Fag^,  to  see  if  the 
statement  of  the  soldier  was  true,  and  in  that  case  he  had  orders  to 
rescue  the  captives,  and  iind  out  the  ringleaders  of  the  assault  and 
lake  them  prisoners  and  punish  the  others. 

Captain  Fagfe  having  arrived  at  the  River  Colorado,  found  it 
deserted  ;  saw  the  missions  reduced  to  ashes,  and  the  corpses  of  the- 
missionaries,  Diaz  and  Moreno,  unburied.  For  some  time  he  could 
not  find  the  remains  of  the  other  two.  Fathers  Oarces  and  Barreneche. 
The  soldiers  in  search  of  the  dead  noticed  a  spot  verdant  and  covered 
with  beautiful  flowers,  while  the  whole  country  around  was  dry  and 
barren.     The  captaiu  ordered  them  to  dig  there,  and  they  found  the 


DBSTBVCTloy  OF  THE  CATHOLIC  UrSSfOAS. 


m 


corpses  of  the  missionaries  intact,  and  were  told  that  an  old  sqnaw 
who  had  great  respect  for  the  fathers  had  buried  their  bodies. 

The  captain  had  these  four  bodies  put  in  coffins  and  brought 
them  to  Queretaro,  where  the  Franciscans  ha\*e  a  college. 

Strange  things  were  told  b>'  some  of  the  Indians.  They  said  that 
after  the  missions  were  destroyed  a  procession  was  seen  every  night 
of  people  dressed  in  white,  and  with  tapers  in  their  hands,  with  a 
cross-bearer  and  acolytes  going  around  the  mission  chanting.  After 
going  around  several  times  they  would  disappear.  These  visions 
were  seen  both  by  the  white  prisoners  and  the  Indians,  and,  white  the 
Christians  were  consoled  by  it.  the  poor  savages  got  frightened  and 
abandoned  the  place,  going  eight  leagues  further  down  the  river. 

Captain  Fag^  searched  for  them  and  found  tbem  concealed  iu  the 
woods,  but  could  not  induce  them  to  come  out.  However,  he  ran- 
somed the  captives,  and  with  them  rcturced  to  Sonora  to  report. 

The  Commander-General  sent  another  expedition  with  orders  to 
have  the  leaders  of  the  Yumas  arrested  and  punished.  To  this  effect 
Captain  Fag&  had  to  come  to  CaHforaia  to  see  the  Governor,  who 
had  orders  from  his  superior  to  send  as  many  troops  as  be  could  spare 
to  punish  the  culprits. 

They  postponed  their  march  ti|l  September.  A  few  Indians  were 
killed  by  this  expedition,  but  they  were  unable  to  pacify  that  tribe. 

Where  the  Mission  of  the  Punsima  stood  is  known  at  present  as 
Fort  Yuma,  where  American  troops  were  stationed  for  some  years. 
These  had  many  skirmishes  with  the  Indians.  Troops  were  sent 
there  to  protect  immigrants,  many  of  whom  bad  been  robbed  and 
kille<l  by  the  Indians. 

At  present  there  is  at  Fort  Yuma  an  Indian  school  conducted  by 
the  Sisters  of  St.  Josq)h,  where  boys  and  girls  arc  trained  to  different 
trades,  besides  learning  how  to  read  and  write.  The  children  in  gen- 
eral become  very  much  attached  to  the  school,  but  it  is  difficult  to 
overcome  the  prejudice  of  some  of  their  parents.  They  would  rather 
have  them  free  to  run  wild  as  their  ancestors  did.  The  cx-chicf, 
Miguel,  has  caused  many  troubles  to  these  poor  sisters,  and  prevented 
many  children  from  going  to  school.  Not  long  ago  one  of  the  sisters 
was  in  imminent  danger  of  being  kilk'd  by  some  of  these  savages,  if 
some  of  the  faithful  Indians  had  not  given  the  alarm  in  time. 

Miguel  and  some  of  his  associates  are  now  lying  in  the  county  jail 
awaiting  trial  for  disturbing  the  peace  and  exciting  others  to  rebellion* 

The  conversion  of  the  Yumas  to  Christianity  will  be  a  tedious 
work.  We  have  no  other  hope  than  that  of  the  rising  generation 
educated  in  the  Indian  schools,  where  principles  of  morality  and  taste 
for  work  are  cultivated. 


42        IlISTdRICAL  SOCIETY  Off  SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA. 


and  are  fairly  well  settled  by  a  mixed  population,  who,  if  not  pros- 
perous, seem  contented  in  the  old  Califomian  way. 

There  is  a  small  wooden  school  house  near  the  river,  and  back  in 
the  timber  are  a  number  of  cabins  inhabited  by  the  Indians,  but  theae 
buildings  are  so  sheltered  as  to  be  seldom  seen,  and  therefore  do  not 
count  in  the  general  view. 

The  natural  charm  of  this  lovely  retreat  lies  in  the  grandeur  of 
the  surrounding  mountains  that  apparentl)'  rise  in  huge  overlapping 
rings,  each  encircling  the  diminutix'e  valley. 

My  lodging  hou.se  was  with  Mr.  Viele.  The  walls  of  my  room 
were  decorated  with  fituffed  skins  of  animals  and  snakes  that  hung 
directly  over  the  stretcher  of  rawhide  I  used  for  a  bed.  Travelers 
were  ex-idently  a  novelty,  and  groups  of  Indians  and  half-breeds  sur- 
veyed me  with  much  interest. 

The  visitors  arc  the  government  doctor  or  Indian  agent.  Then 
come  the  basket  hunters,  and  occasionally  one  who  loves  an  old  mis- 
sion for  its  historic  past.  The  agent  and  the  doctor  visit  the  place 
perfunctorily,  the  agent  listens  to  any  who  may  have  the  courage  to 
make  complaint,  and,  after  dinner  the  government  doctor,  before 
taking  his  departure,  inquires  fiercely  if  anyone  is  sick,  but,  as  most 
of  the  sick  have  been  hidden  in  the  mountains  before  his  coming,  but 
few  answer,  and,  the  law  being  fulfilled,  he  departs  for  more  congenial 
quarters  and  better  table  board. 

A  diminutive  old  Chinaman  has  been  here  fiftcca  years,  and 
seldom  speaks  except  to  ciirsc  and  swear  with  remarkable  flueocy. 
The  world  will  never  fully  know  his  story,  but  long  ago  he  came  from 
the  direction  of  San  Diego  and  stopped  at  the  ranch.  He  slept  over 
night  in  the  hay.  and  has  never  since  left  the  place.  It  was  years 
before  stray  bits  of  his  history  became  known.  He  was  fleeing  from 
highbinders,  when,  after  days  of  almost  unconscious  wanderings,  he 
found  this  place.  He  still  dreads  this  secret  organization,  and  never 
(alters  in  his  belief  that  sonic  day  they  will  find  and  kill  him.  He 
frequently  makes  the  tour  around  the  mission  walls,  peers  into  nooks 
and  outhouses,  pokes  the  hay  in  the  bam  with  his  stick  and  mutters 
fiercely  to  himself.  Together  we  watched  the  pigeons  hover  over  the 
adobe  hovels,  and  at  dusk,  with  only  the  gleam  of  his  lantern,  we 
wandered  from  ruin  to  ruin,  or  paused  to  rest  on  the  divided  walls  of 
the  enclosures.  Upon  one  evening,  when  returning,  a  number  of 
white  apparitions  rushed  toward  me  with  rapid  motion  from  the  old 
rains.  The  onslaught  was  so  sudden  in  the  awful  silence  of  the  night 
that  it  threw  me  into  a  panic,  and  I  fled  to  the  house  more  dead  than 
alive.  It  was  a  flock  of  white  geese  that  the  Chinaman  had  disturbed, 
and  it  was  long  before  I  heard  the  last  of  the  adventure. 


I 


LIFE  TODAY   IN   THE   PALA   HISSION   STATION. 


PRAXK  J.    POU.BY, 


IRMd  April  S.  UK) 

The  early  history  of  Pala  is  already  written.  As  this  paper  is 
not  historical,  it  is  suBicieiit  merely  to  note  that  the  church  was 
founded  as  a  branch  establishment  of  the  San  Luis  Rey  Mission. 
Father  Antonio  Peyri  was  the  moving  spirit  through  whose  efforts 
the  settlement  was  effected.  He  was  then  one  of  the  resident  priests 
at  San  Luis  Rey,  and  had  this  last-named  mission  in  a  very  prosperous 
condition.  He  took  mnch  interest  in  his  new  work,  and  within  a 
year  or  two  it  had  prospered  until  from  one  to  two  thousand  had 
gathered  there.     His  spirit  is  said  to  hover  over  the  ruins. 

Father  Peyri  seems  to  have  been  a  zealous  priest,  for  the  orchard 
and  buildings  bear  testimony  to  days  of  former  good  management. 
In  times  of  tronble  this  settlement,  owing  to  its  secluded  position, 
escaped  for  a  time  the  more  immediate  reverses  that  others  experi- 
enced. It  is  said  that  much  property  was  removed  there  at  one  time 
from  San  Luis  Rey. 

A  more  sheltered  nook  than  this  valley  at  Pala  the  tourist  cannot 
find.  By  following  np  the  San  Luis  River  the  church  is  reached,  but 
the  easiest  way  is  to  start  from  Temecula,  and  take  a  pass  over  the 
mountains  that  eventually  leads  into  the  valley.  It  is  not  an  easy 
ride,  but  the  journey  need  not  occupy  the  whole  of  a  day,  and  the 
scenery  is  very  fine.  No  line  of  railroad  passes  near  Pala,  and  hencei 
though  really  one  of  the  most  interesting  missions  to  visit,  it  is  the 
least  seen  and  known  of  all. 

Mr.  Viele,  the  present  owner  of  most  of  the  old  mission  property, 
is  the  only  white  man  residing  near  by.  His  store  and  dwelling  is  a 
long,  tow  adobe  opposite  thv  church.  Near  by  is  bis  blacksmith 
shop,  and  in  the  open  space  between  the  church  ruins  and  the  river 
are  the  remains  of  the  brush  Ixwths  used  by  the  people  at  the  yearly 
festival,  and  these,  with  the  remnants  of  the  mission  buildings,  corral 
walls  and  the  quaint  Indian  church  with  its  beautiful  bell  tower,  con- 
stitute the  Pala  of  today 

The  river  is  a  small  stream  a  few  yards  distant  from  the  settle- 
ment. The  valley  adjacent  to  the  church  is  too  narrow  to  admit  of 
much  cultivation,  but  further  along  the  river  the  fields  broaden  out 


^ 


*(        m^iTORlCAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHS RH  CALTFORHtA. 


was  recently  put  on  the  tower,  and  not  a  day  p«9sed  whhoat  seme 
time  spent  with  them.  The  belfry  stands  some  distance  from  the  old 
Dussion  building,  and  rises  from  the  flat  plain  so  as  to  be  a  beauttfnl 
landmark  from  every  point  in  the  valley.  The  architecture  is  grace- 
ful and  harmonious  to  the  surroundings,  as  only  the  c^d  nissioo 
Cathers  knew  how  to  design,  and  which  those  competent  to  judge 
claim  to  be  almost  unique  in  its  beauty.  Not  a  bell  at  this  old 
mission  but  has  its  hislorj*  and  legend.  They  have  rung  for  war  and 
peace,  and  have  seen  the  glory  and  decadence  of  the  mission  life  ;  but 
now  rusted,  and  »umc  of  them  broken,  they  hang  silently  in  thefa- 
niined  towers  to  peal  forth  only  on  special  occasions  when  the  old 
life  is  revived  during  the  yearly  festival,  for  then  games  and  dances 
occupy  the  hours  of  day  and  night.  The  walls  of  this  belfry  are 
weakening :  each  rain  and  earthquake  lessens  their  stability,  and 
some  day  the  beavy  bells  will  sink  down  with  the  crumbling  walls 
and  find  their  resting  place  among  the  graves  that  now  surround  the 
spot.  A  small  picket  fence  keeps  stray  stock  from  desecrating  the 
graves  of  the  sleeping  dead  ;  but  nature  is  not  to  be  thus  balked, 
and  weeds  and  flowers  have  crept  in  and  formed  a  growth  orer  graTes 
and  stones. 

These  are  the  famed  spots  for  midday  dreams  and  moonlight 
meditations.  The  scream  of  the  peacock,  the  howl  of  the  coyote  and 
the  clattering  hoofs  of  some  Indian  pony  on  the  road  are  all  the 
sounds  that  break  the  solemn  stillness.  After  such  an  evening  I  have 
seen  the  gleam  of  John's  lantern  and  rejoined  him  for  a  ghostly  walk 
in  the  ruius  before  retiring  to  sleep  the  sleep  of  the  just,  while  I 
dreamed  of  the  little  brush  booths  in  front  of  the  church  again  being 
occupied  by  the  Indians  and  vaqueros,  and  heard  the  sound  of  the 
guitar  and  the  tread  of  dancing  feet,  and  witnessed  the  games  of 
skill  and  daring,  the  fancy  riding,  the  lariat  throwing  and  the  many 
old  time  sportc  until  my  slumbers  ended  with  the  dawn. 

On  festive  occasions  I  have  seen  riding  in  Ventura  county,  Span- 
ish dances  at  Capistrano,  sheep  shearing  frolics  in  San  IMego,  and 
Spanish  games  near  the  Pucutc  hills ;  and,  while  all  was  quiet  dur- 
ing my  stay  at  Pala,  yet  I  cotint  it  as  one  of  my  most  pleasant  rearf- 
lections  of  rambling  travel,  and  the  kind  invitations  of  Mrs.  Viele  to 
soon  return  found  a  ready  acceptance  as  I  stood  upon  the  river  bank 
and  waved  farewell. 


I 


I 


SieOE  AND  CAPTUKE  OF  LOS  ANGELES.  SEPTEMBER.  IM6. 


J,  U.  GUINN. 


[Baftd  Ootobor  3,  UN.] 

There  arc  few  events  in  the  acquisitions  of  Caltforoia  by  the 
AinericAns,  of  which,  con^dering  its  importauce,  so  little  is  kaowti 
•ft  the  expulsion  of  Captain  Gillespie  and  his  garrison  from  ho» 
Angeles  by  the  Mexican  forces  under  Gen,  Jos^  Maria  Flores  and 
Serbulo  Varela,  and  the  subsequent  occupation  of  Lhe  city  by  Flores 
and  his  army  September  30,  1846.  The  t>eaT  flag  bad  been  raised 
io  Sonoma.  Sloat  had  taken  possession  of  Monterey,  and  Montgomery 
of  Verba  Buena.  or  San  Francisco.  All  Northern  and  CcDtral  Cali- 
fornia bad  passed  under  American  rule,  aad  not  a  battle  had  been 
feayht  DOT  a  shot  dred.  Castro,  tbc  ccmmandiug  general  of  the  Cal- 
iformaos.  had  Sed  southward  and  was  endeavoring  to  arouse  bin 
Qovntrymen  in  Sonthcni  California  to  resist  the  advance  of  the  Amer- 
ieaoB.  Commodore  Stockton,  who  had  succeeded  Com.  Sloat  in  com- 
BHBd  of  the  U.  S.  naval  forces  on  the  Paci6c  Coast,  and  Fremont, 
wbo  Bight  be  considered  in  command  of  the  land  forces,  determiaed 
to  complete  the  conquest  of  Alta  California.  Fremont,  with  his 
uj^oring  party  recruited  to  a  battalion  of  one  hundred  and  twenty 
IKD,  sailed  for  San  Diego.  Stockton,  with  three  hundred  and  sixty 
marines  and  six  pieces  of  light  artillery,  landed  at  San  Pedro.  The 
plan  of  operations  was  for  Fremont  to  obtain  horses  at  San 
Dicfo,  and  with  his  men  mounted  and  acting  as  cavalry,  join  forces 
with  Stockton  and  attack  Castro,  who  was  reported  encamped  on  the 
Bcaa  jnsi  outside  of  Lo«  Angeles.  Castro's  forces  were  variously 
etdnated  at  from  five  hundred  to  fifteen  hundred  men,  with  ten 
pitoea  of  artillery.  It  was  also  rumored  that  Castro  was  fortifying 
hla  camp  and  would  give  battle  to  the  invaders.  Fremont,  failing  to 
find  boftcs  at  San  Diego,  marched  his  battalion  on  foot  to  join 
Stockton.  Stockton,  who  in  the  meantime  had  been  drilling  his 
aaiine*  at  San  Pedro  in  nulitar>'  movements  on  land,  moved  his 
tr6o^  agaimt  Castro,  He  and  Fremont  joined  forces  just  south  of 
the  city  and  entered  it  without  opposition.  Castro's  forces  on  the 
approach  of  Stockton  bad  dispersed,  the  larger  portion  of  them  flee- 
ing by  way  of  the  Arroyo  Seco  to  the  Kancho  San  Pasqual,  where 
Pasadoiu  is  now  located.     The  General,  with  several  of  his  o&cerst 


46 


H/STORICA 


iff  CA  LI  FORI 


fled  to  Mexico  by  way  of  the  San  Gorgonia  Pass.  Governor  Pio 
Pico  retired  to  the  Yorba  Rancho  on  the  upper  Santa  Ana,  afterwards 
making  his  way  to  Mexico.  Stockton,  in  his  "  Military  and  Naval 
Operations  in  California,"  reports  finding  at  Castro's  abandoned 
"Campo  en  La  Mesa,"  "ten  pieces  of  artillery,  four  of  them  spiked." 
Fremont,  in  liis  memoirs,  says  that  Castro  had  ten  pieces  of  artillery, 
part  of  which  he  buried.  Don  Antonio  F.  Coronel,  who  was  in 
charge  of  Castro's  artillery,  says  the  Califomians  had  eight  guns  — 
four  iron  and  four  bronze  pieces.  The  bronze  guns  were  buried  in 
the  sands  of -the  Arroyo  Seco,  the  iron  pieces  were  probably  spiked  and 
abandoned.  Castro's  "Campo  en  La  Mesa"  was  located  on  what  is 
now  Boyle  Heights,  near  the  present  site  of  the  Sisters'  Orphan 
Asylum. 

With  the  fall  of  I^os  Angeles  the  conquest  of  California  was 
completed.  All  of  the  vast  territory  of  Alta  California,  greater  in 
extent  than  that  of  the  thirteen  colonies  at  the  time  of  the  American 
Revolution,  had  been  subjected  to  the  United  States  without  blood- 
shed—  without  even  the  firing  of  a  gun.  And  stranger  still,  the 
conquest  had  been  made  without  o6Sciat  knowledge  by  Stockton  and 
Fremont  that  war  had  been  declared  between  the  United  States  and 
Mexico.  Los  Angeles  was  captured  on  the  r3th  of  August.  A  few 
days  later  Midshipman  McRca  arrived  at  San  Pedro  in  a  Mexican 
brig  \-ia  VeraCiuz  and  Acapnlco,  distguised  as  a  British  officer,  bring- 
ing official  dispatches  from  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  George  Ban- 
croft, that  war  had  been  declared  between  the  two  countries.  War 
had  been  declared  on  the  i  ith  of  May,  and  it  had  taken  three  months 
to  get  the  news  to  California.  The  first  seizure  and  occupation  of 
California  was  a  filibustering  scheme  on  a  gigantic  scale.  Just  what 
would  have  been  the  consequence,  or  how  the  question  of  the  .seizure 
would  have  been  adjusted  between  the  two  nations  had  war  not  been 
declared,  must  be  left  to  conjecture. 

With  California  in  his  possession  and  the  official  information 
that  war  existed  between  the  United  States  and  Mexico.  Stockton  set 
about  organizing  a  government  for  the  conquered  province.  Fremont 
was  to  be  appointed  military  governor.  Detachments  of  his  battal- 
ion were  to  be  detailed  to  garrison  different  towns,  while  Stockton, 
with  what  recruits  he  could  gather  in  California  and  bis  marines,  was 
to  make  a  naval  cx]>editiou  against  the  west  coast  of  Mexico,  land 
his  forces  at  Mazatlan  or  Acapulco,  and  march  overland  to  "shake 
hands  with  Gen.  Taylor  at  the  gates  of  Mexico."  Commodore 
Stockton,  regarding  the  conquest  of  California  as  complete,  appointed 
Captain  Gillespie  militar)'  commandant  of  the  southern  department, 
with  headquarters  at  Los  Angeles  and  a  garrison  of  fifty  men.     He 


I 


SIBOE  AND  CAPTURE  OF  hOS  AKOELES. 

left  Los  Angeles  for  the  north  September  ad.  Fremont,  with  thirty- 
five  men  of  his  hattalion,  took  up  his  line  of  march  for  Monterey  a 
few  days  later.  Oitlespie's  instructions  were  to  maintain  military 
rale  in  accordance  with  the  Commodore's  proclamation.  The  dty 
was  to  be  placed  under  martial  law,  but  he  was  authorized  to  grant 
exemptions  from  the  more  bnrdensome  restrictions  to  quiet  and  well 
disposed  citizens,  at  his  discretion,  and  a  conciliatory  policy  in  accord- 
ance with  instructions  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  was  to  be 
adopted,  and  the  people  were  to  be  encouraged  to  "neutrality,  self 
government  and  friendship." 

All  historiaus  who  have  written  upon  this  subject  lay  the  blame 
for  the  subsequent  uprising  of  the  Californians  and  their  rebellion 
against  the  rule  of  the  military  commandant,  Gillespie  —  to  his 
petty  tyrannies  —  "to  his  attempt,  by  a  coercive  system,  to  effect  a 
moral  and  social  chauge  in  the  habits,  diversions  and  pastimes  of  the 
people,  and  to  reduce  them  to  his  standard  of  prosperity.  "GUle^ie, 
no  doubt,  was  lacking  in  tact,  and  his  schooling  in  the  navy  under 
the  tyrannical  regime  of  the  quarter-deck  of  5fly  years  ago,  still 
fnrthcr  unfitted  him  for  governing  a  people  unused  to  gD\-emment. 

Los  Angeles  was  noted  as  the  hot-bed  of  sedition  and  revolution. 
It  had  a  turbulent  and  restless  clement  among  its  inhabitants  that 
was  never  happier  than  when  fomenting  strife  and  conspiring  to  over- 
throw those  in  power.  Of  this  class.  Colton,  writing  in  1846,  says: 
"  They  drift  about  like  Arabs.  If  the  tide  cf  fortune  turns  against 
them  they  disband  and  scatter  to  the  four  winds.  They  never  become 
martyrs  to  any  cause.  They  are  too  numerous  to  be  brotight  to  pun- 
ishment by  any  of  their  governors,  and  thus  escape  justice."  There 
was  a  conservative  class  in  the  territory,  made  up  principally  of  the 
large  landed  proprietors,  both  native  and  foreign  bom,  but  these 
exerted  small  influence  in  controlling  the  turbulent.  While  I^os 
Angeles  had  a  monopoly  of  this  turbulent  and  revolutionary  element, 
other  settlements  in  the  territory  furnished  their  full  quota  of  that 
class  of  political  knight  errants  whose  chief  pastime  was  revolution 
and  whose  capital  consisted  of  a  gayly  caparisoned  steed,  a  riata,  a 
lance,  a  dagger  and  possibly  a  pair  of  horse  pistols.  In  the  ten  years 
immediately  preceding  the  conquest,  California  had  had  teu  different 
governors  and  almost  as  many  revolutions.  Only  the  year  before,  at 
the  bloodless  battle  of  Cabuenga,  Micheltorena,  the  lawfully 
appointed  governor,  had  beeu  compelled  to  abdicate  by  the  insurrec* 
tionists  under  Pico  and  Castro,  and  had  been  deported  to  Mexico. 

That  Stockton  should  have  left  Gillespie  so  small  a  garrison  to 
keep  the  dty  and  stirrounding  country  in  subjection,  shows  that  he 
was  either  ignorant  of  the  character  of  the  people  with  whom  he  had 


fio     msTORivAL  socrerr  of  .soutukrn  California. 


to  deal,  or  that  he  placed  too  great  relianc'c  in  the  completrne-SK 
their  snbjectioD.  With  Castro's  men  in  the  city,  or  dispersed  among 
the  neighboring  ranchos,  many  of  them  stiU  retaining  their  arms,  and 
all  of  them  ready  to  rally  at  a  moment's  notice  to  the  call  of  their 
leaders :  with  no  reinforcements  nearer  than  five  faandred  miles  to 
come  to  the  aid  of  Gillespie  in  case  of  an  apnsing,  it  was  foolhardi- 
ness  in  Stockton  to  entrust  the  holding  of  the  most  important  place 
in  California  to  a  mere  handful  of  men,  half  disciplined  and  poorly 
equipped,  without  fortifications  for  defense  or  supplies  to  hold  ont  in 
case  of  siege. 

Scarcely  had  Stockton  and  Fremont  with  their  men  left  the  dty 
before  trouble  began.  The  turbulent  element  of  the  dty  fomented 
strife  and  seized  every  occasion  to  annoy  and  harass  the  military  com- 
mandant and  his  men.  While  his  "petty  tyrannies,"  so  called,  which 
■were  probably  nothing  more  than  the  enforcement  of  martial  law, 
were  the  immediate  provocation,  the  real  trouble  was  more  deep 
seated.  The  Califortuans,  without  provocation  on  their  part  and 
without  really  knowing  the  cause  why,  found  their  country  invaded, 
their  property  taken  from  them  and  their  goverument  in  the  hands 
of  an  alien  race,  foreign  to  them  in  customs  and  religion.  They 
would  have  been  a  tame  and  spiritless  people  indeed  had  they 
neglected  the  opportunity  that  Stockton's  blundering  gave  them  to 
regain  their  liberties.  They  did  not  waste  much  time.  Within  two 
weeks  after  Stockton  had  sailed  from  San  Pedro  boetilities  began, 
and  the  city  was  in  a  state  of  siege.  Gillespie  thus  describes  the 
first  atUck  (Bancroft's  History,  Vol.  V)  :  "On  the  22nd  [of  Sep- 
tember], at  three  o'dock  in  the  morning,  a  party  of  sixty-five  Cali- 
fomians  and  SonoreQos  made  an  attack  upon  my  small  command 
quartered  in  the  government  house.  We  were  not  wholly  surprised, 
and  with  twenty-one  rifles  we  beat  them  Sack,  without  loss  to  our- 
selves, killing  and  wounding  three  {rf  their  number.  When  daylight 
came  Lieutenant  Hensley,  with  a  few  men,  took  several  prisoners  and 
drove  the  Californians  from  the  town.  This  party  was  merely  the 
Dudeos  of  a  revolution  commenced  and  known  to  Col.  Fremont  before 
he  left  Los  Angeles.  In  twenty-four  hours  six  hundred  well 
mounted  horsemen,  and  armed  with  escopetas,  lances  and  one  fine 
brass  piece  of  light  artillery,  surrounded  Los  Angeles  and  summoned 
me  to  surrender.  There  were  three  old  honey-combed  iron  gm» 
(spiked)  in  the  corral  of  my  quarters,  which  we  at  once  cleared  and 
mounted  upon  the  axles  of  carts." 

Serbulo  Varela,  a  yonug  man  of  some  abihty  but  of  a  turbulent 
and  recfcleas  character,  had  been  the  leader  at  first,  but,  as  the  upris- 
ing assumed  the  character  of  a  revolution,  Castro's  old  officers  came 


p 


SISOE  AUD  t'APTURE  OP  LOS  ANORLBS. 

to  the  front.  Cnpt.  Jos4  Maria  Florfe  was  chosen  tis  Commandante- 
GcDcral.  Jos^  Antonio  Corrillo  was  made  Mayor -General  and  Atidrte 
l^co  Commandante  de  Scuadron.  The  main  camp  of  the  insurgents 
was  at  3  place  called  Paredon  Blanco  (White  Bluff),  located  on  the 
meia  east  of  the  river,  near  the  present  residence  of  Mrs.  Hollenbeck. 
On  the  24th  of  September,  from  the  camp  on  the  Hliite  Bluff, 
'was  issued  the  famous  Pronunciamento  de  Varela  y  oatroa  Califomios 
contra  Los  Americanos  (The  Proclamation  of  Varela  and  other  Cali- 
fomians  against  the  Americans).  It  was  signed  by  Serbulo  Varela, 
X<eonardo  Cota  and  over  three  hundred  others.  Although  this  proc- 
lamation is  generally  credited  to  Flort^,  there  is  no  evidence  to  show 
that  be  had  atiything  to  do  with  framing  It.  He  promulgated  it  over 
bis  signature  October  ist.  It  was  intended  to  Sre  the  Califomian 
heart  and  arouse  his  latent  patriotism.  It  has  been  the  custom  of 
American  writers  of  California  history  to  sneer  at  this  production  as 
florid  and  bombastic.  In  fiery  invective  and  fierce  denunciation  it  is 
the  equal,  if  not  the  superior,  of  Patrick  Henry's  lamous  "Give  me 
Uberty  or  give  death  I"  Its  recital  of  wrongs  are  brief  but  to  the 
point :  "And  shall  we  be  capable  of  permitting  ourselves  to  be  sub- 
jugated and  to  accept  in  silence  the  heavy  chains  of  slavery?  Shall 
we  lose  the  soil  inherited  from  our  fathers  which  cost  them  so  much 
blood  ?  Shall  we  leave  our  families  victims  of  the  most  barbarous 
servitude  ?  Shall  we  wait  to  see  our  wives  outraged,  our  innocent 
children  beaten  by  the  American  whips,  our  property  sacked,  our 
temples  profaned,  to  drag  out  a  life  full  of  shame  and  disgrace  ?  No  ! 
a  thousand  times  no  I  Compatriots,  death  rather  than  that !  Who 
of  you  does  not  feel  his  heart  beat  and  his  blood  boil  on  contemplating 
our  situation  ?  Who  will  be  the  Mexican  that  will  not  be  indignant 
and  rise  in  arms  to  destroy  our  oppressors?  We  believe  there  will  be 
not  one  so  vile  and  cowardly  !"  The  Americans  had  been  summoned 
to  surrender  and  the  city  was  surrounded  and  besieged  by  the 
Califomians.  Gillespie's  supplies  were  cut  off  and  his  situation 
was  growing  desperate.  He  bad  mounted  bis  cannon  on  Fort  Hill, 
hut  whether  he  still  retained  pDs.session  of  the  government  house 
(locatfd  on  the  site  now  occupied  by  the  St.  Charles  Hotel)  is  uncer- 
tain. There  was  but  little  firing  between  the  combatants,  an 
occa^onal  sortie  and  a  volley  of  rifle  balls  by  the  Americans  when  the 
Califomians  approached  too  near.  The  Califomians  were  well 
mounted  but  poorly  armed,  their  weapons  being  principally  short- 
rftnge  muskets,  pistols,  lances,  and  riatas,  while  the  Americans  were 
armed  with  long-range  rifles,  of  which  the  Califomians  had  a  whole- 


J 


5«        HtSTORTCAL  SOCTETY  OF  SOVTHERS  CALIFORNIA. 


some  dread.     The  fear  of  these  aims  and  his  cannon  doubtless  saved 
GUlespie  and  his  men  &om  captiue. 

On  the  34tli  Gillespie  dispatched  a  messenger  to  Monterey  and 
San  Prancisco  to  apprise  Stockton  of  his  perilous  situation.  His  dis- 
patch bearer — John  Brown,  better  known  by  his  California  nickname, 
Juan  Flaco  or  Lean  John — made  one  of  the  most  wonderful  rides 
recoTxied  in  history.  To  paraphrase  Whittier's  "Skipper  Ireson's 
Ride"— 

"  or  all  tli«  rld«M  «lnce  Mm*  birth  of  %\im. 
Told  la  story  or  flUug  in  rhyme. 
The  fleetest  ride  that  ever  wm  aped  " 

was  Juan  Flaco's  ride  from  I,os  Angeles  to  San  Francisco.     BrownV 
own  story  is  in  substance  as  follows  : 

"With  a  package  of  cigarettes,  the  paper  of  each  bearing  the 
inscription  '  Believe  the  bearer  *  and  stamped  with  Gillespie's  seal, 
he  started  at  8  p.  m.  September  24.  hotly  pursued  by  fifteeu  Mexi- 
cans.  His  horse,  incited  by  a  bullet  through  his  body,  cleared  a 
ravine  thirteen  feet  wide,  and  fell  after  ruiming  two  miles.  Then  he 
started  on  foot,  carrying  his  spurs  for  tn'enty-seven  miles  to  Las  Vir- 
gines.  Mere  he  was  joined  by  Tom  Lewis,  and  they  reached  Santa 
Barbar'a  at  up.  m.  of  the  25tb.  At  the  same  hour  of  the  36th, 
having  been  furnished  horses  successively  by  Lieut.  Talbot,  Thomas 
Robbins  and  Lewis  Burton  on  showing  the  magic  cigarettes,  they 
camped  between  San  Miguel  and  San  Luis  Obispo,  where  Lewis  gave 
out,  but  Brown  started  again  next  morning,  and  late  at  night  reached 
Monterey.  Not  Ending  Stockton  at  Monterey,  he  started  at  sunrise 
for  San  Francisco  on  a  race  horse  belonging  to  Job  Dye.  Larkin 
aided  him  at  San  Jose,  where  he  was  detained  four  hours,  and  he 
reached  Verba  Bnena  at  8  p.  m.  of  the  28th — 630  miles  in  four  days  !' '  * 
Cotton,  who  was  Alcalde  at  Monterey,  notes  Brown's  arrival  at  that 
place  on  the  evening  of  the  agtli.  Coltonsays  in  his  "Three  Years  " 
that  he  (Brown)  rode  the  whole  distance  of  460  miles  in  fifty-two 
hours,  during  which  time  he  had  not  slept.  "  His  intelligence  was  for 
Commodore  Stockton,  and  in  the  nature  of  the  case  was  not  com- 
mitted to  paper,  except  a  few  words  rolled  in  a  cigar  fastened  in  his 
hair.  But  the  Commodore  had  sailed  for  San  Francisco,  and  it  was 
neccs-iary  he  should  go  140  miles  further.  He  was  quite  exhausted 
and  was  allowed  to  sleep  three  hours.  Before  day  he  was  up  and 
away  on  his  j  oumey . ' '  According  to  Colton  and  Stockton  he  arrived 
at  San  Francisco  on  the  30th,  Counting  the  time  lost  by  the  death 
of  bis  horse,  he  probably  made  the  ride  in  five  days.  Colton  makes 
the  distance  600  miles.     Following  the  sinuosities  of  the  coast  and 


•rwM  nol«  Vol.  V,  tteiicroft'B  amaty  of  CftllRirDla. 


SfKOff  AND  OAPtfRB  OP  tJhS  ASOF.tES.  W 

zigzagging  Lo  avoid  hostile  parties  of  Californians,  doubtless  be  did 
ride  that  dtstaoce. 

Longfellow  has  immortalized  tbe  "  Ride  of  Paul  Revere,"  Robert 
Browniag  tells  in  stirring  verse  of  tbe  riders  nlio  brougbt  the  good 
news  from  Ghenh  to  Aix,  and  Buchanan  Read  thrills  us  with  the 
heroic  measures  of  "Sheridan's  Ride."  No  poet  has  sung  of  Juan 
Placo's  wonderful  ndc,  fleeter,  longer  and  more  perilous  than  any  of 
these.  Flaco  rode  600  miles  through  the  enemy's  country  to  bring 
aid  to  a  besieged  garrison,  while  Revere  and  Jorris  and  Sheridan  were 
in  the  countrj'  of  friends,  or  protected  by  an  army  from  enemies. 

Gillespie's  situation  was  growing  more  and  more  desperaie  each 
day.  The  fight  at  the  Chino  Rancho  had  resulted  in  the  capture  of 
Wilson's  riflemen,  who  were  on  their  march  to  aid  Gillespie.  In  the 
charge  upon  the  adobe  where  Wilson  and  hi.s  men  had  taken  refuge 
Carlos  Ballestaros  had  been  killed  and  several  Californians  wounded. 
This,  and  Gillespie's  obstinate  resistance,  had  embittered  the  Califor- 
nians against  him  and  his  men.  The  Chino  prisoners  bad  been  saved 
from  massacre  after  their  surrender  by  the  flrmness  and  bravery 
of  Varela.  If  Gillespie  continued  to  bold  tbe  town  his  obstinacy 
might  bring  down  the  vengeance  of  the  Californians,  not  only  upon 
him  and  bis  men,  but  upon  many  of  the  American  residents  of  the 
south  who  bad  favored  their  countrymen. 

Finally  Klor^  issued  his  ultimatum  to  the  Americans — surrender 
within  twenty-four  hours  or  take  tbe  consequences  of  an  ouslaught 
by  tbe  Californians,  which  might  result  in  the  massacre  of  the  entire 
garrison.  In  the  meantime  he  kept  his  cavalry  deployed  on  tlie  hills. 
completely  investing  the  American  forces.  Bdbre  the  expiration  of 
the  time  allowed,  upon  the  persuasion  and  advice  of  Wilson,  who  had 
been  permitted  by  Florfe  to  intercede  with  Gillespie,  articles  of  capit- 
ulation were  drawn  up  and  signed  by  Gillespie  and  the  leaders  of  tbe 
Californians.  On  the  30th  of  September  the  Americans  marched  out 
of  the  city  with  all  the  honors  of  war,  drams  beating,  colors  flying 
and  two  pieces  of  artilUry  mounted  on  carts  drawn  by  oxen.  They 
ani\'ed  at  San  Pedro  without  molestation,  and  four  or  five  days  later 
embarked  on  the  merchant  ship  Vandalia,  which,  however,  did  not 
at  once  leave  tbe  port.  Gillespie  tn  his  march  was  accompanied  by  a 
few  of  the  American  residents  and  probably  a  dozen  of  the  Chino 
prisoners,  who  had  been  exchanged  for  tbe  same  number  of  Cali- 
fornians whom  he  had  held  under  arrest,  most  likely  as  hostages. 

Gillespie  took  two  caunon  with  him  when  he  evacuated  the  city 
and  left  two  spiked  and  broken  on  Fort  Hill.     There  seems  to  ha^-e 
been  a  proviso  in  the  articles  of  capitulation  requiring  him  to  deliver 
over  the  guns  to  Florfe  on  reaching  the  embarcadero.     If  there  was 


64       HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA. 

such  a  stipulation  Gillespie  violated  it.  He  spiked  the  guns,  broke 
off  the  trunnions  and  rolled  them  into  the  bay.  These  four  guns  were 
probably  the  same  that  Stockton  reported  having  found  in  Castro's 
abandoned  camp.  Marshall,  of  gold  discovery  fame,  claims  to  have 
unspiked  the  guns  with  a  hammer  and  cold  chisel,  and  upon  impro- 
vised carriages  they  were  mounted  on  Fort  Hill. 

The  revolt  inaugurated  by  Varela  at  Los  Angeles  spread  through- 
out the  territory.  The  American  garrisons  were  driven  out  of  San 
Diego  and  Santa  Barbara.  Monterey  and  San  Jos^  were  placed  under 
martial  law,  and  a  number  of  sanguinary  engagements  followed 
before  Stockton,  Kearney  and  Fremont  regained  what  Gillespie 
(through  Stockton's  blundering)  lost  in  the  surrender  of  Los  Angeles. 


REMINI5CENCE5    OF   LOS   ANGELES   IN  THE    FIFTIES  AND 

EARLY   5IXTIES. 


H.   D.   BAKS0V9. 


Itfonc— Tb< 


.  the  I 


of 


b«  Ibllowinc  aarUs  of  pkpon  (flw  In  nantMr)  w«r«  nawl  ti 
tba  l«nt&  knnlTcnuT  of  tha  OTCuHsukm  of  tbc    Blatorinl  Hortetr  ot  Honth<<rn  CftU- 
fbtnlk,  Novwnbar  3;   UM.     It  w««  tb«  InteDtlon 
dovB  the  bunarr  of  soMtiem  iWUbnita   tliroi 
*ra  WTltun    bjr  mcmbon  of 

dMcrlbMf.  "^be  am  p»per~ 

Wmramr,  fli«t  pnaldont  of  tb*  auelBtjt,  a  ploDmr  who  cbioc  u>  Loa  Angefaa  Ppcembw.  UBli 
tlM  MwoBd.  Um  dMMde  beiwrcn  UM)  uid  mO,  wu  aulcped  b>  Don  Antonio  P.  cemMl,  Uw 
flnt  TloMinadduit  of  tb« aoototf  al  lla mupiilMlliin.    Ha ckid*  to  Loa  Aogrlpii  In  UM.    Ui^ 


in  of  tlw  BommHlvo   In  Fba»«  to  e^rrj 

__     _.roiich    atx  dteidBi  bj  k   miIm  or  ten- 

mlnut*    P<tp*n  wrltun    bjr  mcmbon  of   th«    Modaty    oofnlnuit  of  Uia    avanU    Ibw 
rlbMi,  Tbe  am  p«,per-UM  decoda  bMwMn  liOD  ua  IhO-wm  aamtati  ta  OM.  J.7. 


-J.  H.  a^  bd.} 

It  is  not  an  easy  matter  to  adequately  picture  to  the  denizen  of 
Los  Angeles  of  1S93  life  as  it  existed  in  this  pueblo  thirty  and  forty 
years  ago. 

In  the  first  place,  it  will  be  helpful  to  remember  that  this  city 
was  then  but  a  partially  Americanized  Spaaisfa,  or  Mexican,  settle- 
ment of  less  than  five  thonsand  souls,  far  rcmov«l  from  the  centers 
of  population  of  either  Mexico,  to  which  it  formerly  belonged,  or  of 
the  United  States,  whose  laws  and  customs  and  language  had,  at  that 
time,  but  recently  been  introduced  ;  and  that  it  was  not  easily  acces- 
sible, both  by  reason  of  its  great  distance  from  the  Atlantic  States 
and  because  of  the  meagemess  of  its  means  of  communication  with 
the  rest  of  the  world.  We  had  no  railroads  in  those  days,  nor  tele- 
graphs, prior  to  1 860 ;  steamers  arrived  mice  a  month  at  our  only 
port,  San  Pedro,  bringing  us  mails  and  news  from  the  outside  world 
to  partially  relieve  our  isolation.  The  great  Butlerfield  overland 
stage  route  between  San  Francisco  and  St.  Louis  via  Los  Angeles 
was  established  in  1858.  That  was  one  of  the  longest  stage  routes  in 
the  world,  and  one  of  the  best,  as  I  had  occasion  to  know,  for  I  rode 
over  it  from  here  to  St.  Louis  on  my  wedding  trip  in  iS6o-'6i,  a  dis> 
tance  of  about  nineteen  hundred  miles,  traveling  night  and  day  for 
eighteen  days  and  twenty  hours,  passing  through  the  then  hostile 
Apache  Indian  country  of  Arizona  and  New  Mexico,  and  of  the 
Comauches  of  Northern  Texas.  The  "Overland  Corrals"  in  this 
city  were  on  the  site  of  this  Roeder  Block,  wherein  we  celebrate 
tonight  this  tenth  anniversary  of  dur  Historical  Society. 

The  telegraph  line  from  San  Francisco  to  tUts  city  was  completed 
October  8,  i860.     I  had  the  honor  of  sending  the  first  dispatch  to  the 


W        HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  HOVTUERS  CAtlfOItStA. 


San  Prancuco  press.     Here  it  is,  as  priated  in  the  Bolietia  on  the 
date  in  which  it  is  sent : 

"  Los  Anohles,  Oct.  9,  10:45  a.  m.,  i860. — Here  is  the  maiden 
satutfltion  of  Los  Angeles  to  San  Francisco  by  lightning  f  This  dis- 
patch— the  first  to  the  press  from  this  point — the  correspondent  of  the 
Bulletin  takes  pleasure  in  communicating  in  behalf  of  bis  fcUow- 
dtjzens.  The  first  intelligible  communication  by  the  electric  wire 
was  received  here  last  night  at  about  8  o'clock,  and  a  few  hours  later, 
at  a  grand  and  brilliant  ball  given  in  honor  uf  the  occasion,  dis- 
patches were  read  from  San  Francisco  announcing  the  complete 
working  of  the  entire  line.  Speeches  were  made  in  the  crowded  ball- 
room by  E.  J.  C.  Kewen  and  P.  McCraellish.  News  of  Col.  Baker's 
election  in  Oregon  to  the  United  States  Senate  electrified  the  Repub- 
licans, but  the  Breckiuridgers  doubted  it  at  first.  It  was  suggested 
that  they  go  hang  the  '  De  Santy.'  He  assured  them  that  it  was  '  all 
right ' — they  could  bet  their  lives  qD  that. 

"Just  before  leaving  yesterday  Senator  Latham  planted  the  first 
telegraphic  pole  from  Ibis  point  east,  assisted  by  a  concourse  of 
citizens.  He  made  a  short  but  felidtons  address.  *  *  *  The 
steamer  Senator  leaves  San  Pedro  tonight  with  about  three  thousand 
boxes  of  grapes." 

Among  the  salient  events  of  the  late  '50s  (I  came  here  in  the 
latter  part  of  '54)  were  the  extermination  of  the  organized  band  of 
robbers  which  infested  this  countj'  in  the  winter  of  ias6-'7.  and 
which  massacred  SheriflF  James  R.  Barton  and  three  men  of  his  passe 
near  San  Jtian  Capistrano  ;  the  great  earthquake  of  January  9,  1857  ; 
the  rendezvous  here  and  passage  through  Los  Angeles  of  the  Crabbe 
filibuster  parly  of  over  one  hundred  men.  the  greater  portion  of 
whom  were  exterminated  as  invaders  at  Cavorca,  Sonora  ;  the  arrival 
of  the  camels  in  January,  1858;  the  "Mormon  rebellion,"  which 
stirred  up  our  people  greatly,  the  same  year  ;  the  recall  of  the 
Mormon  settlers  at  San  Bernardino  to  Great  Salt  Lake  City  by  the 
Mormon  elders,  etc. 

In  1857  the  colony  system,  which  has  contributed  so  much  to  the 
settlement  and  to  the  social  and  material  prosperity  of  California,  was 
inaugurated  by  a  company  of  fifty  shareholders,  mostly  Germans  of 
San  Francisco,  who  purchased  eleven  or  twelve  hundred  acres  of  land 
of  Pacifico  Onlei'eras.  near  the  Santa  Ana  River,  which  they  named 
Anahome,  or  Anaheim.  It  was  placed  in  charge  of  an  engineer  and 
general  manoger,  Mr.  George  Hansen,  for  many  years  and  still  a 
resident  of  this  city,  who  divided  it  into  fifty  twenty-acre  vineyard 


homes,  whicb  the  owners  aftcnvard  mostly  occnpied — some  of  them. 
or  thdr  children,  to  this  day. 

In  1859  the  Mojave  Indians  were  very  troublesome,  and  Gen. 
Clarke,  commander  of  the  Pacific  Military  Division,  made  I/is  Angeles 
his  headquarters  pending  the  Mojave  war,  whicb  was  conducted  in 
the  Geld  by  Col.  Hoffinan,  who  soon  subjected  the  hostile  savages. 

Durittg  each  winter  for  year^,  or  till  the  continental  railroad  was 
built,  an  extensive  trade  was  carried  on  between  this  city  and  Salt 
Lake  City  and  other  settlements  in  Utah.  The  people  of  that  Terri- 
tory had  no  outlet  in  winter  except  tn  this  direction,  deep  snows  ren- 
dering both  the  Sierra  Nevadasand  the  Rocky  Mountains  impassable, 
The  distance  of  Los  Angeles  from  Salt  Lake  City  was  about  seven 
hundred  miles,  and  the  road  was  level  and  always  free  from  snows. 
Even  the  supplies  which  the  "saints"  obtained  in  San  Francisco 
during  the  winter  season  were  shipped  by  steamer  to  Sao  Pedro,  and 
were  hauled  from  thence  by  teams  to  their  various  points  of  destina- 
tion in  Central  and  Southern  Utah.  An  immense  number  of  Mormon 
teams  used  to  come  here  every  winter  for  years  after  goods,  and  1 
think  this  continued  till  1869,  or  till  the  Central  and  Union  Padfic 
Railroads  were  completed,  thereby  opening  communication  with  the 
outside  world  both  easterly  and  we&teriy  to  the  Great  Salt  Lake 
basin  at  all  seasons  of  the  year. 

I  am  tempted  to  recall  here  some  of  the  names  of  the  more  or 
less  prominent  citizens  who  lived  in  Los  Angeles,  or  in  Los  Angeles 
county,  in  the  latter  half  of  the  fifties  and  the  first  half  of  the  sixties, 
although  to  those  of  you  who  knew  them  not  they  signify  but  little, 
perhaps  no  more  than  so  many  blanks :  but  to  us  who  sar\'ive  and 
who  mingled  freely  with  them  and  knew  them  somewhat  intimately 
each  name  recalls  a  distinct  personality  and  a  flood  of  reminiscences 
of  a  former  generation  to  which — and  I  know  you  will  pardon  our 
weakness — we  cannot  but  turn  with  fond  recollections.  Among  the 
residents  of  this  city  who  were  also  ranch  owners  were  Abel  Steams, 
owner  of  many  rancfaos  ;  John  Temple  of  I.,o9  Cerritos,  Ygnacio  del 
Valle  of  Camulos.  B.  D.  Wilson  of  San  Pa-squal,  William  Wolfskill, 
grantee  of  a  rancho  in  the  upper  country  :  ex-Gov.  Pi«  Pico  of  El 
Ranchito,  Gen.  Andrfe  Pico  of  Mission  San  Fernando,  Capt.  Alex- 
ander Bell  of  La  Providenda,  L.  V.  Prudhommc  of  Cucamongo, 
Henry  Dalton  of  Amsa,  etc.  Of  the  rancheros  who  lii-ed  on  thei' 
ranches  with  their  families  there  were  Julio  Vcrdugo.  owner  of  Sao 
Rafael;  Vicente  de  la  Osa  of  El  Encino,  Antonio  M.  Lugo  and  bis 
sons  of  La  Laguna  and  San  Bernardino :  the  three  brothers,  Manuel, 
Nasario  and  Pedro  Dominguez  of  the  Rancho  San  Pedro ;  the  Abilas 
(several  families)  of  TajauU,  La  Cieaega  and  La  Centinela  ;  Thomas 


^ 


HfSTORlCAL  SOCfKTY  OP  SOUTHERN  VALIFORNIA. 


A.  Sanchez  of  Sausal  Redondo,  WiUiam  Workman  and  John  Rowland 
of  La  Pnente,  Francisco  Temple  of  La  Merced,  the  Yorbas  of  the 
Rancho  Santa  Ana.  Lemuel  Carpenter  c^  the  Santa  Gertrudes  or  Loa 
Nietos,  Jose  Scpulveda  of  the  San  Joaquin,  Juan  Maria  and  Dolores 
SepaU*eda  erf  the  San  Vicente,  Col.  Isaac  WiUiamsof  El  Chino,  Fran- 
cisco Ocampo  of  I,os  Coyotes,  Manuel  GarBas  of  San  Pascual,  etc.  A 
history  of  each  of  these  rancberos,  nearly  all  of  whom  I  knew,  and 
of  their  ranchos,  mauy  of  which  were  an  large  as  some  Kuropean 
principalities,  and  of  their  families  and  of  the  various  lines  of  their 
posterity,  would  fill  a  big  book,  and.  if  artistically,  i.  e.,  ideally,  and 
sympathetically  written,  as  Mrs.  Jackson  would  have  written  it,  should 
be  exceedingly  interesting,  to  those  at  least  who  have  made  their 
homes  here,  where  those  men  of  a  past  epoch  once  bore  sway.  I 
think  such  a  history  will  some  day  be  written.  To  quote  Bancroft's 
observation  concerning  the  early  Governors  of  California,  those 
who  think  these  men  were  colorless  nonentities,  that  is,  that  they 
were  lacking  in  the  strongly-marketl  qualities  of  genuine  manhood, 
certainly  have  but  little  knowledge  of  their  real  character.  Of 
other  classes  more  or  les.s  prominent  of  those  days  there  were  Judges 
Benjamin  Hayes  and  William  G.  Drj-den,  both  picturcstiue  characters  : 
United  States  Judge  1.  S.  K.  Ogier>  Lawyers  Johnatban  R.  Scott, 
Ezra  Drown,  J.  L.  Brent,  E.  J.  C.  Kewen,  K.  H.  Bimmick,  Columbus 
Sims,  J.  R.  Gitchell.  C.  E.  Thom,  J.  H.  Lander,  V.  E.  Howard,  at  a 
late  period  Superior  Judge;  Murray  Morrison,  B.  C.  Whiting,  etc.; 
Mayors  Stephen  C.  Foster.  J.  G.  Nichols,  Dr.  Thomas  Foster,  Henry 
Melius,  D.  Marchessault,  etc.;  Drs.  Richard  S.  Den,  John  S.  Griffin, 
R.  T.  Hayes,  T.  J.  White.  W.  B.  Osboum,  A.  B.  Hayward ;  Drug- 
gists Downey  and  McFarland,  H.  R.  Mylcs,  J.  C.  Welsh,  V.  Gelcich  ; 
priests  in  the  '50s,  Revs.  Bias  Kaho  (Roman  Catholic),  James  Woods 
and  William  E.  Boardman  (Presbyterian),  and  in  the  '60s,  Alex. 
Parker  (Congregational).  E.  Birdsall  (Kpiscopalian),  Adam  Bland 
(Methodist),  R.  C.  Fryer  (Baptist),  etc.  The  Roman  Catholic  bishop 
of  this  diocese  was  Thaddeus  Amat,  and  the  Episcopal  bwhop  (resi- 
dent in  San  Francisco)  was  William  Ingraham  Kip.  The  local  mer- 
chants of  that  period  from,  say  1855  to  '65,  as  I  remember  them, 
were  K.  Melius,  Johnson.  Wheeler  &  AUanson,  N.  A.  Potter,  C.  Du- 
commun,  John  Jones.  Corbitt  &  Barker,  Lazard  &  Kremer.  M.  Keller, 
Foy  Bros..  Workman  Bros.,  Hellman  Bros.  (I.  M.  and  Sam),  the 
Lanfranco  Bros.  (Juan  T.  and  Mateo),  J.  Schumacker.  L.  L«^> 
Santiago  Bollo,  O.  W.  Childs.  Hale.  Hicks,  Ncwmark.  Norton  & 
Greenbaum,  Prager  &  Morris.  Mallard,  Wadharas  and  others.  Perr>' 
&  Brady,  and  afterward  Perry  &  Woodworth,  and  William  Abbott 
were  cabinet  makers.     John  Gollcr  was  a  notable  blacksmith  and 


JtEXINfSCfSNCSS  OF  LOS  ANOKLKS. 


W 


ragon-maker.  Id  those  days  of  teaminj;!;.  before  the  comiag  of  rail- 
'roads,  Goiter's  wagons  were  Icnowti  all  over  Southern  California  and 
Arizona,  and  f  think  some  of  them  went  to  Utah  and  Southern 
Nevada.  Roeder  and  Lichlenbcrger  and  Louis  Breer  ("Iron-clod 
Louie,"  as  he  was  known)  were  employees  of  Gollcr,  but  later  they 
went  into  business  for  themselves.  Among  the  well-known  land  sur- 
veyors of  those  early  times  were  George  Hansen.  Major  H.  Hancock, 
F.  Lecouvreur,  William  Moore.  A.  F.  Waldemar.  L.  Seebold,  E.  Had- 
ley  and  W.  P.  Reynolds.  Cols.  Washington  and  Washburn  were 
^employed  in  government  surveys  in  this  ^HciDity  for  a  considerable 
period.  H.  Penelon  was  the  pioneer  photographer  and  fresco  painter. 
Dr.  Obed  Macey  established  the  &rst  bath  house,  on  the  lot  where  his 
son,  Oscar  Macey,  now  resides.  Ygnacio  Coronel.  father  of  Hon.  A. 
F.  Coronel.  maintained  and  taught  a  private  school  in  the  early  '506, 
as  I  knew,  and  perhaps  before  that  time.  William  Wolfskill  employed 
private  tutors  for  his  own  and  some  of  bis  neighbors'  children  for 
many  years.  I  think  his  first  teacher  wa.s  Rev  J.  W.  Douglas, 
founder  of  the  San  Francisco  religious  journal  The  Pacific.  He  was 
gucceeded  in  turn  by  Miss  Goodnow,  now  the  wife  erf  Hon.  H.  J. 
Wells  of  Cambridge,  Mass. ;  by  the  writer  of  this  paper  (from  the  last 
of  1854  till  the  last  of  '58),  by  A.  F.  Waldemar  and  others.  The 
sisters  of  charity  have  maintained  an  orphans'  school  from  some  time 
in  the  '50S  to  the  present.  The  venerable  Sister  Scholastica,  now  far 
advanced  in  years,  was  long  the  superior  of  this  school.  Good  Sister 
Ann,  so  well  known  to  all  the  old  settlers  and  still  tenderly  remem- 
bered by  those  who  survive,  was  at  the  head  of  the  Sisters'  Hospital 
for  many  years.  The  "  Germanians  "  supported  a  private  school  in 
^  a  small  frame  building  on  the  same  lot  whereon  the  Turoverein  is 
now  erecting  its  fine  brick  block. 

The  Star  newspaper  was  started  here,  I  think,  in  1851,  by  Lewis 
&  McEIroy,  and  was  published  many  years  by  J.  S.  Waite.  J.  P. 
Brodie.  William  A.  Wallace.  H.  Hamilton,  etc.  Besides  the  Star,  the 
Southern  Califomian  was  published  in  i854-'6  by  Butts  St  Wheeler. 
Among  the  printers  employed  on  the  latter  paper,  which  was  printed 
in  the  corrugated-iron  houses  on  the  site  of  the  Central  block  on 
Spring  street,  were  Oscar  Macey  and  "Billy"  (W.  H.)  Workman 
(since  Mayor  of  the  city),  both  of  whom,  and  Col.  Wheeler,  the 
editor,  are  still  residents  of  this  city.  Later.  Col.  J.  J.  Warner,  now 
86  years  of  age.  edited  and  published  the  Semi- Weekly  Vineyard^ 
and  F.  P.  Ramirez  printed  El  Clamor  Publico  in  Spanish,  English 
Land  French.  Other  early  newspapers  were  the  Southern  Nc«"s,  by 
[Couway  &  Waite,  and  the  Republican,  by  J.  B.  Dubois. 


60 


HISTORICAL  SOClKTr  OF  SOtTTBRRN  CALfFORmA. 


Tbe  pioneer  growers  of  oraugesand  other  dtmsfmits  in  Sou  them 
California  were  the  fathers  of  Mission  San  Gabriel.  Louis  Vignes  and 
William  Wolfskin. 

Matthew  Keller,  J.  L.  Sainsevain,  Kohler  &  Frohling,  Edward 
Naud  and  Vat:hi  Bros,  were  early  wine  merchants. 

All  goods  shipped  to  and  from  our  then  only  port,  San  Pedro,  had 
to  be  "  lightered,"  and  this  business  was  carried  on  in  the  '50s  by  A. 
W.  Timms.  P.  Banning  and  Tomlinson  &  Co.,  the  latter  Srm  con- 
sisting of  J.  J.  Tomlinson  and  J.  M.  Griffith.  These  parties  used  to 
do  an  immense  amount  of  freighting  between  San  Pedro  and  Los 
Angeles  and  many  points  in  the  interior,  including  Forts  Tejon, 
Mojave  and  Vuma. 

John  D.  Woodworth  was  postmaster  here  under  Buchanan.  He 
was  succeeded  by  Dr.  T.  J.  White.  William  G.  Still  served  under 
Lincoln,  and  after  him  came  Capt.  George  J.  Clarke. 

J.  W.  Sborc  was  County  Clerk  several  terms,  and  he  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Charles  R.  Johnson  and  Thomas  D.  Mott. 

J.  R.  Barton,  James  Tbompsou,  Tomas  A.  Sanchez  and  William 
C.  Getman  were  successively  Sberifis  of  the  county.  H.  N.  Alexander 
was  long  County  Treasurer,  as  was  also  M.  Krimer. 

Julian  Chavez,  Elijah  Moulton  and  Mariano  Ruiz  lived  on  the 
east  side  of  the  river  below  the  present  Downey  avenue  viaduct,  and 
Louts  Wilhardt,  who  had  a  tannery,  and  Joseph  Mullaly  li\'ed  on  the 
west  side.  Further  down,  on  the  east  bank,  were  Theodore  Bors, 
who  had  a  flour  mill  on  the  site  of  the  Stern  distillery,  and  Jas£ 
Bnelna  and  Francisco  ("  Chico  ")  Lopez,  and  Andrew  A.  Boyle,  alter 
whom  Boyle  HeiKhts  wore  named,  with  his  vineyard  and  orchard  in 
the  bottoms  under  the  bluff,  and  still  further  down  li\xd  John  Befan 
and  Felipe  Lugo.  Jos^  Rubio  lived  on  Alameda  street  below  the 
Coronels.  and  John  Frohling  (of  Kohler  &  Frohling),  Julius  Weyse 
and  Ramon  Valenzuela  lived  on  what  is  now  Kighth  street,  and  John 
Moran  on  Ninth,  between  Alameda  and  Main.  Each  of  these  latter, 
and  others  who  li\'ed  outside  the  center  of  the  pueblo  and  on  lands 
which  could  be  irrigated,  owned  and  cultivated  vineyards  and  orchards. 
The  Reyes  and  Machado  families  li^xd  on  Main  street,  and  John  Graff 
had  a  grant  of  one  or  more  blocks  of  land  from  the  city.  He  lived  in 
the  adobe  bouse,  still  standing,  comer  Jefferson  and  Figueroa  streets. 

There  arc  many  things  in  this  city  to  remind  old  settlers  of  the 
brothers  John  and  F.  P.  F.  Temple,  Juan  T.  and  Matto  Lanfranco. 
and  Prudent  and  Victor  Bcaudn-,  and  of  Rcmi  Nadesu,  whose  long 
teams  and  trailing  "prairie  schooners"  used  to  bring  "  base  bollifm  " 
from  the  Owens  River  mines  to  San  Pedro  for  shipment  by  the  mill- 
ions of  pounds,  and  of  J.  W.   Pott«t.   who,  with    P.  Beaudry,  did  so 


nEMIJilSCENCHS  or  hOS  AHaHLES. 


61 


tnach  to  develop  and  make  accessifale  onr  long  tmoccupied  hill  lands 
near  the  center  of  the  city. 

In  the  early  times,  when  troops  were  stationed  at  the  various 
forts  of  Southern  California  because  of  the  Indians,  who  were  then 
much  more  numerous  than  they  arc  now,  the  relations  between  Los 
Angeles  aud  those  forts  seemed  to  be  ranch  more  intimate  than  they 
are  at  present.  Col.  Beall  was  in  command  at  Foit  Tejon,  and  some 
of  the  oflficere  under  him  were  Capt.  Davidson,  afterward  a  distin. 
gnished  cavalry  commander  in  the  Union  ariuy  during  the  civil  war  ; 
Lieut.  A.  B.  Chapman,  now  a  resident  of  this  county,  and  others.  I 
remember  one  Fourth  of  July  (I  thinlc.  it  was  in  '57^  the  of&cers  and 
the  splendid  military  and  string  baud  of  the  garrison  stationed  at  Fort 
TejoD  came  down  here  aud  joined  witli  our  citizens  and  local  military 
companies  (a  French  company  ou  foot,  a  native  California  company  of 
tancers  mounted,  and  an  American  company,  the  Southern  Rifles, 
etc.)  in  celebrating  our  national  holiday.  A  procession  was  formed. 
with  Ralph  Rmerson  (a  cousin  of  Ralph  Waldo  Emerson)  as  marshal, 
which  marched  lo  the  vineyard  of  Dr.  Hoover,  where  the  Declaration 
of  Independence  was  read,  both  in  English  and  Spanish,  and  an  ora- 
tion by  Judge  Myron  Norton  and  a  speech  by  Phineas  Banning  were 
delivered.  In  the  e\*ening  there  was  a  grand  ball,  and  the  band,  be- 
fore its  return  to  Fort  Tejon,  gave  a  public  concert. 

Major  Heinzelman  commanded  at  Fort  Yuma.  Most  of  the 
officers  and  men  stationed  at  these  forts  went  east  in  the  summer  of 
^j86i,  embarking  at  San  Pedro  on  the  regular  Panama-bound  steamers, 
rhich  called  for  ihcm  at  our  port.  Captain,  afterward  General,  W. 
S.  Hancock  was  stationed  as  assistant  quartermaster,  with  his  family, 
in  this  city  tor  a  considerable  period. 

Although  the  people  of  this  city  were  far  removed  from  the  exdt- 
iug  scenes  of  the  great  civil  war,  they  could  not  help  being  intensely 
interested  in  its  progress  from  beginning  to  end.  Gen.  Carlton  com- 
manded a  force  stationed  for  a  time  at  Camp  Latham  near  Ballona, 
which  afterward  moved  into  Arizona.  Another  force  occupied  Drtuum 
Barracks  near  Wilmington,  under  command  of  Col.  J.  F.  Curtis, 
where  permanent  quarters  aud  an  immense  warehouse  near  the  wharf 
were  built.  From  this  point  supplies  for  all  the  forts  and  commands 
in  Southern  California,  Arizona  and  New  Mexico  were  forwarded. 

A  few  of  the  persons  1  have  named  above  still  survive,  but  the 
majority  (^  them  have  passed  on  and  seem  now  but  shadows,  though 
once  they  were  as  full  of  life  and  activity  as  wc  now  are  who  have 
taken  their  places.    As  I  recall  these  aud  many  other  names  of  the 


»       HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SO  UTAERN  CALIFORNIA. 

oMcM'tiUK  my  mWKffy- conjures  up  a  distitict,  cleai"*ut  "and  ofWn' 
extremely  interesting  personality  in  each  case,  and  I  conld  \A\  ycm. 
safiMttlbgof  every  one  of  them,  which  would,  perhaps,  enable  you 
ti}  lit  least  idiitlly  diMingulsh  their  portraits  as  we  who  knew  them  saw 
thtn.'did  tiltte  «nd  the  exigencies  of  this  occasion  permit.  Let  it  be 
tB^'bud^uess^of  our  society  to  rescue  as  many  names  as  possible  of  the 
old  p«b)tftto&  fiVnn  oblivion. 


LOS  ANQELES  IN  THl£  LATER  51X7165  AND 
EARLY  bEVENTIES. 


J.    M.    GCINH. 


I  arrived  at  I<os  Angelea  from  San  Francisco  in  the  last  year 
o£  the  '60s,  although  my  arrival  in  the  State  dated  five  year*  earlier. 

In  1869  there  were  two  routes  of  travel  by  public  conveyance  by 
which  the  immigrant  could  reach  Los  Angeles — by  stage  down  tke 
coast  via  San  Jose.  Monterey.  Santa  Barbara  to  Los  Angeles,  the 
atage  route  tcrciiaating  at  San  Diego ;  the  other  by  steamer  to 
anchorage  at  San  Pedro,  reaching  the  landing  at  Wilmington,  9ev«n 
miles  away,  on  one  of  Banning's  uncomfortable  tugs,  and  frout  th«re 
to  Los  Angeles  on  stage.  The  Sau  Pedro  and  Lo«  Angeles  Railroad, 
the  &r&t  railroad  built  in  Southern  California,  was  not  then  completed. 

The  fore  by  steamer  from  San  Francisco  to  ancliorage  iu  San 
Pedro  Bay  was  $20  :  tug  to  the  landing  and  stage  to  Los  Angeles 
fa. 50  more.  Stage  fare  from  San  Jose  to  Los  Angeles.  $25.  A  Uip 
by  stage  in  those  days  bad  occasionally  a  sea<iational  accompaniment 
.that  was  far  &om  agreeable.  The  Los  Angeles  Weekly  Star  of 
October  23,  1869,  gives  an  account  of  a  daring  stage  robbery  that 
took  place  about  6  o'clock  on  the  evening  of  October  20,  Mrithin  the 
city  limits,  in  the  caflon  near  the  Hebrew  Cemetery,  almost  in  ^ght 
of  the  Conrt  House.  Wells,  Fargo  &  Co.'s  treasure  boxes  w*re 
raided  and  six  passengers  stood  in  a  line  and,  at  the  point  of  the 
pistol,  divested  of  their  wealth  by  four  masked  men.  The  eotve 
ity  obtained  by  the  road  agents  was  about  $2500. 

The  vessels  plying  between  San  Francisco,  San  Pedro  and  S«n 
Diego  at  that  time  were  old  side  wheelers  that  had  done  duty  on  the 
Pacific  Coast  since  the  days  of  the  Argonauts.  The  old  Pacific,  on 
which  I  embarked,  was  one  of  a  trio  ot  ill-fated  crafts  that  all  came 
to  a  tragic  end.  The  Brother  Jobnathan  went  down  off  the  coast  of 
Northern  California,  and  only  eleven  of  the  350  passengers  reached 
land  alive.  The  old  Pacific  sunk  in  a  collision  in  the  Straits  of  Juan 
dc  Fuca.  and  only  one  survived  to  tell  the  story  of  the  disaster.  The 
Sierra  Nevada  bumped  herself  to  pieces  on  the  rocks  near  Fort  Har' 
lord.  All  the  passengers  were  saved,  but  a  valuable  cargo  was  con* 
signed  to  Neptune. 

In  1868  and '69  Southern  California  was  in  a  traosition  state- 
The  era  of  cattle  and  sheep  rai»ng  as  distinctive  industries  was  on 


M        HTSTOJiJCAL  .SOC/RTY  OF  SOi 


the  decline.  Grain  and  frnit- raising  were  bej^nning  to  be  recognized 
as  the  coming:  industries  of  that  region.  Los  Angeles  was  experienc- 
ing its  first  real  estate  boom.  Evcrj-  steamer  was  crowded  with 
immigrants  seeking  cheap  lands  for  homes.  The  Steams  ranches  in 
the  southeast  part  of  the  county,  comprising  over  two  hundred  thou- 
sand acres,  had  been  subdivided  into  small  tracts  and  thrown  on  to 
the  market  at  prices  varying  from  $2.50  to  $10  per  acre.  Just  before 
we  cast  loose  from  the  wharf  at  San  Francisco  an  active  young  man 
came  aboard  the  steamer  with  an  armful  of  boom  literature,  the  first 
I  had  seen.  It  was  maps,  plots  and  circulars  descriptive  of  the  lands 
of  the  Los  Angeles  and  San  Bernardino  Land  Company  (the  Stcanis 
ranchos).  These  he  distributed  where  he  thought  they  would  do  the 
most  good.  A  map  and  description  of  the  dty  of  Savana  feJl  to  my 
lot.  The  city  was  described  as  located  on  a  gently  sloping  mesa  over- 
looking the  valley  of  the  Santa  Ana.  Sites  had  beun  reserved  by  its 
founders  for  churches  and  schools,  and  a  ceatral  location  was  held  in 
reserve  for  a  city  hall.  A  few  weeks  after  my  arrival  I  visited  the 
city.  I  found  it  on  the  western  slope  of  the  Coyote  Hills,  about  six 
miles  north  of  Anaheim.  Long  rows  of  white  stakes  marked  the 
line  of  its  streets.  A  solitary  coyote  on  a  round-top  knoll,  possibly 
the  site  of  the  prospective  city  hall,  gazed  despondently  down  the 
street  upon  the  debris  of  a  deserted  sheep  camp.  The  other  inhab- 
itants of  the  city  of  Savana  had  not  arrived,  nor  have  they  to  this 
day  put  in  an  appearance. 

The  principal  business  center  of  Los  Angeles  City  in  the  closing 
years  of  the  '60s  was  Los  Angeles  street  between  Arcadia  and  Com- 
mercial. Aliso  street  was  One  of  the  principal  business  streets  of  the 
city.  All  the  travel  from  the  San  Gabriel,  Los  Nietos  and  Santa  Ana 
valleys  entered  the  city  by  that  thoroughfare.  There  were  no  busi- 
ness houses  then  below  the  junction  of  Spring  and  Main.  Spring 
street,  now  the  great  business  avenue  of  the  city,  was  then  an  obscure 
residence  street.  The  aristocratic  residence  streets  of  the  city  were 
San  Pedro  and  the  west  side  of  South  Main.  The  wealthier  residents 
on  Main  owned  through  the  block,  and  fronted  their  stables  on  Spring. 
On  Boyle  Heights  there  were  but  two  houses,  and  not  more  than  that 
in  Hast  Los  Angeles.  The  sites  of  these  populous  and  wealthy 
suburbs  were  sheep  pastures  and  cattle  ranges.  In  1863  over  two 
thousand  acres  of  the  site  of  East  Los  Angeles  were  sold  by  the  City 
Council  at  50  cents  an  acre,  and  it  was  not  considered  a  bargain  at 
that.  The  Council  forced  a  portion  of  it  on  the  nnwilhng  purchaser. 
To  the  best  of  my  recollection,  there  wa.s  in  1869  bnt  one  house  on 
the  range  of  hills  south  of  Temple  and  west  of  Hill  street. 

The  denizens  of  our  dty  a  quarter  of  a  century  ago  pointed 


p 


with  pride  to  the  oW  Court  House,  and  told  how  a  few  years  before 
Juan  Temple  had  built  it  for  a  theater  at  a  coet  of  $40,000.  The  dty 
offices  and  the  city  and  county  jails  were  in  a  long,  low  adobe  at  the 
comer  of  Spring^  and   Franklin  streets,  now  the  site  of  the  Phillips 

^m    block.     Franklin- street  then  bore  the  disreputable  name  of  "Jail 

H    street." 

H  The  leading  hotels  were  the  Bella  Union,  now  the  St.  Charles, 

^  and  the  Lafayette,  where  the  St.  Elmo  now  stands.  The  X,afayette 
was  a  low-stoned  building  of  mixed  architectuce  and  material — adobe. 

H    brick  and  wood.     It  stood  back  from  the  street  &fteeu  or  twenty  feet. 

I  with  a  wide  porch  or  piazza  in  front.  From  the  top  of  the  porch 
railings  on  warm  summer  afternoons  lines  of  boot  soles  confronted  the 
passers-by. 

^m  Three  weekly  newspapers  and  one  daily  furnished  mental  paba- 

^1  lorn  for  the  entire  county,  which  then  included  the  area  now  tn 
Orange.  Subscription  price,  $5  a  year  for  a  four-page,  seven-column 
weekly.  They  were  the  Weekly  Star,  Heury  Hamilton  editor  and 
proprietor ;  the  Daily  and  Weekly  News,  King  &  Waite  publishers, 
and  the  Los  Angeles  Republican,  John  B.  Dubois  editor  and  publisher. 

I    The  latter  paper,  a  few  months  later,  starved  to  death  for  want  of  pat- 
ronage and  was  buried  in  the  journalistic  graveyard  of  unfelt  wants. 
Los  Angeles  was  the  only  city  in  the  county,  and  Anaheim  and 
Wilmington   the  only  towns  of  any  commercial   importance.     Pasa- 
dena— now  a  city  of  palatial  homes,  paved  streets  and  massive  busi- 
ness blocks,  the  wonder  of  the  tourist  and  the  paradise  of  the  health- 
seeker,  then  known  as  the  San  Pasqual  Rancho— was  an  indifterent 
sheep  pasture,  where  sported  the  festive  jackr-ibbit  by  day,  and  the 
H     melancholy  coyote  broke  the  stillness  of  the  night  with  his  dismal 
howls.     The  site  of  Santa  Ana,  a  city  that  now  boasts  of  five  thou- 
^     sand  inhabitants,  was  then  devoted  to  cattle  raising.    Pomona,  boast- 
H    iog  of  a  population  equally  large,  had  no  existence.     The  sites  of  the 
shipping  ports  and  seaside  resorts — Santa  Monica,  Long  Beach  and 
Kedondo — -were   unpeopled    wastes.     No  light  (dressed)  brigade  of 
H    sportive  bathers  charged  the  angry  snrf.     Neither  keel  nor  oar  vexed 
^     the  breakers  that  broke  on  the  desolate  shores.     Gallatin  was  the 
metropolis  of  the  Los  Nietos  Valley,  a  town  long  since  deserted  and 
^P    its  existence  almost  forgotten.     Wilmington  and  Anaheim   Landing 
^     were  the  shipping  ports  of  Los  Angeles,   San  Bernardino  and  the 
^    mining  regions  of  Arizona.     Commerce  has  long  since  found  ports  of 
H    easier  access ;  no  flat-bottomed  lighters  now  land  cargoes  on  their 
rotting  whar\-es. 

A  quarter  of  a  ccntnry  ago  three  school  houses  furnished  public 
school  facilities  for  the  school  children  of  I/m  Aogeles  City.    School 


4 
4 


«        HJSTOIUCAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHBRy  CALIFOBUJA. 


bouse  No.  I,  corner  of  Spring  and  Second,  where  the  Bryson  blo^ 
and  the  old  City  Halt  now  stand  ;  school  bouse  Xo.  2,  on  Bath  street, 
north  of  the  Flaza,  demolished  when  that  street  was  widened  and 
changed  to  Main,  and  the  San  Pedro  street,  near  the  corner  of  Wash- 
ington and  San  Pedro.  Five  teachers  constituted  the  teaching  force 
of  the  city.  Now  two  hundred  and  fifty  are  inadequate  to  meet  the 
demand.  When  the  first  county  teachers'  institute  was  held. 
October  31.  1870,  the  entire  force  of  the  couuty  was  thirty-five. 
Now>  in  the  same  area,  it  requires  over  seven  hundred  to  train  the 
young  idea.  The  institute  was  held  in  the  old  Bath-street  building, 
the  Spring-street  school  house,  comer  of  Spring  and  Second,  being 
considered  too  far  out  of  town.  Population  and  trade  drifting  south- 
ward, have  left  the  old-time  centers  of  both  in  the  suburbs. 

There  was  a  peculiarity  then  in  the  nomenclature  of  our  circu- 
lating medium  that  has  almost  ceased  to  be  used.  Commercial  trans- 
actions, when  the  amouut  involved  was  the  fractional  parts  of  a  dol- 
lar, were  carried  on  in  "bits."  The  bit  was  an  imaginary  coin  of 
the  value  of  12)4  cents.  lis  hjw  in  California,  no  doubt,  grew  out  of 
the  necessity  of  having  some  medium  of  exchange  that  was  under- 
stood both  by  the  American  and  the  native  Califomian.  The  Mexican 
real  and  the  American  bit  had  the  same  value,  12)4  cents.  The 
American  coin  approximating  nearest  in  value  lo  the  bit  was  the 
dime.  You  bought  an  article  priced  at  a  bit  and  gave  the  dealer  a 
ten-cent  piece  ;  he  was  short  2;-j  cents.  If  you  did  not  have  a  short 
bit  and  gave  him  a  quarter  of  a  dollar,  or  "dos  realas,"  he  gave  you 
back  in  change  10  cents;  then  he  was  long,  and  you  were  short. 
From  this  the  terms  long  bit  and  short  bit  came  into  use.  It  was  not 
considered  by  the  dealer  good  form  to  palm  off  ou  him  two  short  bits 
for  a  quarter,  and  the  acme  of  meanness  was  reached  when  four  dimes 
or  short  bits  were  proffered  for  50  cents.  The  dime  was  the  smallest 
coin  in  circtilation  ;  an  article  was  worth  a  dime  or  nothing,  It  is 
needless  to  say  that  the  dealer  was  the  gainer  in  the  long  run  by  such 
a  system  of  exchange. 

October  24,  i87[,  occurred  that  event  in  our  history  known  as 
the  Chinese  massacre.  The  direct  cause  of  the  outbreak  was  a 
highbinder  war  between  rival  factions  or  companies  over  Lhe  abduc- 
tion  of  a  Chinese  woman.  The  warring  factions  bad  kept  up,  during 
the  day.  an  irregular  fusillade  with  revolvers  upon  each  ether  from 
opposite  sides  of  that  malodorous  thoroughfare  "Nigger  alley." 
That  evening  an  American  named  Thompson  was  killed  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  Chinatown  by  a  stray  bullet  from  the  Chinese  rioters. 
Several  officers  who  attempted  to  stop  the  shooting  were  fired  at  by 


lOS  ANOBLtiS  ty  THE  SJXIIPl'y  ASD  ,\A'Vt'^'TlHS. 


07 


thcChtne^.  A  mob  gathered  and  made  an  attack  un  the  Chinese 
qaarters,  The  Chinamen,  terrified,  ceased  their  hostilities,  and,  cow 
ering  in  their  hoi'els,  were  shot  down  by  the  rioters  or  dragged 
forth  and  htinij.  Eighteen  u-ere  murdered  before  the  better  element 
of  our  population  rallied  in  sufficient  force  to  put  down  the  mob.  The 
mobocrats  were  incited  a»  much  by  a  desire  for  plunder  as 
revenge.  When  prosecutions  were  bcgtin  against  some  of  the  leaders 
numy  of  the  other  participants  in  the  riot  fled  the  city.  Between 
tbose  who  were  sent  to  the  State's  prison  and  those  who  left  the 
)nntry  for  th.e  country's  goud,  the  moral  atmosphere  of  the  city  was 
itly  purified.  For  some  time  after  there  was  a  cessation  of  high- 
binder vmrs  in  Chinatown.  The  United  States  government  paid  a 
lai^  indemnity  to  China  for  the  murder  of  her  people. 

Id  1872  the  railroad  subsidy  war  agitateU  the  \'0ter5  of  the 
county.  The  Southern  Padlic  Railroad  Company  proposed  to  build 
fifty  miles  of  railroad  in  the  county,  twenty-five  north  and  twenty- 
fiee  miles  east  from  the  city,  in  consideration  of  a  subsidy  of  5  per 
cent  of  the  entire  taxable  property  of  the  county.  This  was  met  by 
an  oBlvr  of  the  Texas  Pacifie  Company  to  build  a  road  from  San  Diego 
to  Los  Angeles,  malting  the  Angel  City  tributary  to  the  City  of  Bay 
and  Climate,  and  giving  the  county  sixty  miles  of  railroad.  The 
Southern  Pacific  Company  raised  its  bid  by  offering  to  extend  « 
branch  road  to  Anaheim,  making  seventy-seven  miles  of  railroad. 
The  war  was  a  triangular  contest.  The  voters  were  divided  between 
the  Southern  Pacific,  the  Texas  Pacific  and  no  subsidy  to  any  rail- 
road. Pamphleteers  and  newspaper  correspondents  painted  in  roseate 
hues  the  era  of  prosperity  that  would  dawn  upon  us  when  the  neigh 
of  the  iron  horse  broke  the  stillness  of  our  unpeopled  valleys. 
"Taxpayer'"  and  "Pro  Bono  Publico"  bewailed  the  waste  of  the 
people's  money  and  bemoaned  the  increase  of  taxes.  Impassioned 
orators,  from  the  stomp,  with  the  money  of  the  rival  corporations 
jingling  in  their  pockets,  pleaded  with  the  obdurate  voters,  portrayed 
with  moving  pathos  the  generosity  that  actuated  their  company  and 
and  anathematized  the  sordid  greed  of  its  rival.  At  the  election, 
November  5,  1871,  the  Southern  Pacific  won,  and  the  county  was 
pledged  to  give  that  company  $377,000  in  7  per  cent,  twenty-year 
bonds,  sixty  acres  of  city  land  and  $225,000  worth  of  stock  of  the 
Son  Pedro  and  Los  Angeles  Railroad,  the  latter  gift  virtually  carrying 
with  it  the  control  of  the  San  Pedro  Harbor — a  total  donation  of 
$1510,000  in  cash  or  its  equivalent,  and  a  monopoly  on  our  travel  and 
truwportation  that  clung  to  us  for  years  with  the  ever-tightening 
grip  of  the  Old  Man  of  the  Sea,  Such  is  an  illustration  of  the  will- 
ingness with  which  people  mortgage  the  future  for  some  fancied 
benefit  in  the  present. 


TO 


HJHrOJiJCAL  tiOVIETY  OF  SVUTHF.ItN  CALIFORSJA. 


attention  as  was  supposed  to  be  due  distinguished   tcnder-fcct  and 
possible  investors. 

Where  the  Nadcau  House  and  First  Presbyterian  Church  now 
stand  was  a  horse  corral  ;  the  same  where  the  Hollcnbcck  is  located  ; 
and  between  these  now  prominent  hotels  was  Towte's  blacksmith 
shop,  with  other  small  workshops  and  chicken  coops.  The  most 
conspicuous  structure  on  Main  street  was  the  "  round-house."  This 
was  the  inspiration  of  a  crank,  who  sought  to  typify  the  creation 
and  end  of  all  living  by  the  supposed  luxuries  of  the  living  in  his 
castle  of  tbe  blest,  with  the  termiaatiou  of  all  things  as  represented 
by  tombs  and  lay  figures  in  tbe  gardeu  attached.  But  all  this  has 
long  since  passed,  and  nut  unlike  man  himself,  who  yields  to  the 
sturdy  tread  of  superior  forces  behind  him.  gives  up  to  the  claims  of 
an  irresistible  succession,  and  is  remembered  only  in  the  future  for 
the  good  or  bad  in  life.  Mr.  fieaudry  was  then  mayor,  and  seemed 
to  be  imbued  with  a  laudable  spirit  of  enterprise  ;  but  municipal  sup- 
port from  cither  council  ur  people  was  lacking,  and  in  place  of  it  Loe 
Angeles  seemed  to  Ixr  drifting  aimlessly  along,  quite  indifferent  to  the 
great  events  of  the  world,  blissfully  content  in  its  half-tropic 
surroundings,  emphasizing  in  its  inertness  the  duUe  fac  nienU  of  its 
once  dominant  race. 

Of  hotels,  the  St.  Charles  (modernized  from  the  Bella  irnion), 
United  States.  La  Fayette  and  Pico  House  constituted  the  list  —  all 
first  tlass .'  At  some  of  these  T  lived  ;  and  though  I  had  eaten  hard- 
tack from  the  tail  end  of  an  army  wagon  and  taken  my  coffee  and 
junk  standing  in  line  with  more  circumspection  than  ceremony,  these 
morsels  were  sweet  compared  to  the  product  of  the  razor-back  of  the 
vicinage  and  the  wild  bovine  of  the  plains  of  Texas,  My  two  com- 
panions, however,  more  lasiidtous  than  raysell',  became  restive,  and 
being  pos.ses«ed  of  that  inquiring  instinct  of  the  Yankee  to  improve 
present  conditions,  ciiconntered  in  their  evening  stroll  the  chicken  (?) 
tamaie  man,  which  at  once  aroused  their  desire  for  trade  and  the 
possession  of  the  tempting  morsel  so  deftly  trussed  up  in  corn  busks. 
Immediate  success  attended  their  negotiations,  when,  lo  !  ou  inspec- 
tion, the  alleged  chiiken  proved  to  be  Iht  disjointed  remains  of  ja^- 
rebbit  aud  sea-gull,  with  its  ever  present  Gsh  odor,  which  tbe 
native  purveyor  had  attempted  to  modify  with  chille  pepper  and  a 
liberal  supply  of  the  heroic  .ind  unconquerable  garlic  f  At  this  the 
line  was  drawn  as  an  vx|icricuce  not  down  in  the  guide  book  of  the 
tourist,  and  susiwuded  all  further  Inquiries  in  that  line  of  adjuncts  to 
an  insufficient  or  unsatisfactory  meal.  But  a  change  soon  come, 
sort  of  financial  cyclone  came  over  the  land,  and  in  a  whiff  ( 
bank  in  the  dty  was  closed.      Two  soon  reopened,  hut  tbe  ot 


RECOLLECTIONS 'OF  LOS  ANGELES  — 1875  TO  l«85. 


JNO.    UAN9PISLD. 


Reminiscences  of  persons  not  specially  olnervin^  may  often 
recall  events  to  them  not  decmecl  of  sufficient  importance  to  note 
at  ihe  time,  but  may  have  real  significance  as  historical  iactors  of 
local  interest,  not  observed  by  the  general  public.  The  value  of 
these  observations  depend  upon  the  importance  of  events,  as  tfaey 
may  occur,  in  ser\'ing  to  illustrate  more  fully  even  minor  points  that 
so  often  and  readily  fade  with  the  lapse  of  time.  It  is  by  the  faithful 
record  of  these  that  history  is  made  and  perpetuated. 

An  intimation  that  on  this  our  tenth  anniversary  I  would  be 
expected  to  relate  some  experiences  of  the  decade  following  my 
entry  into  Los  Angeles  May  i,  1875,  I  confess  that  to  me  it  seems 
without  an  incident  worthy  of  recording. 

I  came,  as  some  others  did,  from  Sacramento  by  rail  to  Caliente, 
and  from  there  to  Los  Angeles  in  a  jerky  wagoa  by  courtesy  called  a 
stage,  in  which  we  floundered  for  twenty-four  hours  over  mountains, 
plains  and  through  gullies,  more  or  less  at  the  peril  of  our  li\-es,  till 
we  reached  San  Fernando  the  next  morning  about  day-break.  With- 
out rest,  sleep  or  satisfying  refreshment  to  this  point,  our  judgment 
of  men  and  things,  as  we  saw  them,  was  more  or  less  critical.  Hy 
objective  point  on  this  trip  was  some  of  the  dry  interior  valleys  of 
Mexico,  to  counteract  the  effects  of  the  other  sort  to  which  for  a 
year  or  more  I  had  been  subjected,  entailing  what  seemed  to  me  a 
lasting  afOiction  of  chills  and  fever.  At  San  Fernando  we  took  what 
appeared  to  be  an  oil  or  work  train  on  the  unfinished  portion  of  the 
Southern  Pacific  Railroad  from  that  point  to  Los  Angeles.  At  that 
time  the  town  of  Los  Angeles  to  a  stranger  appeared  old,  rambling 
and  fragmentary.  The  only  building  or  business  block  of  import- 
ance was  the  Temple  Block,  which  stood  up  atone  among  its  less 
pretentious  surroundings  as  the  result  of  a  suddeu  impulse  of  an 
early  boomer,  whose  financial  extinction  had  left  its  warning  to  other 
growing  but  undeveloped  ambition  of  municipal  grandeur  or  commer- 
cial greatness.  Notwithstanding  the  unpropitious  and  tumbledown 
appearance  of  the  place,  the  conditions  I  sought  seemed  to  be  here, 
and  I  remained  ;  and  as  we  were  tourists,  we  looked  over  ihe  town 
at  our  leisure  (of  which  we  had  plenty),  and  were  accorded   such 


T2 


itt& 


)€IETY  Or.SOUTffKRX  CAI,tFORXIA. 


extension  beyond  Lus  Augeies.  The  construetion  of  this  roAd  was 
lorKCly  due  to  the  enterprise  and  public  spirit  of  Mr.  John  P.  Jones, 
under  the  supervision  of  Capt.  Crawford,  its  chief  engineer.  But  on 
completion  of  the  Southern  Pacific  to  Los  Angeles  the  following  yeai 
it  soon  absorbed  the  former  road  by  purchase,  and  has  ever  since  b( 
run  by  the  Southern  Pacific  as  a  part  of  its  Southern  Califoniia system. 

Among  some  of  the  notable  structures  in  Los  Angeles  for  t877 
were  the  Roman  Catholic  Cathedral  and  Baker  block  on  Main  street 
and  Odd  Fellows"  Hall  an  Spring  street.  Later  on.  however,  our 
seeming  prosperity  for  this  year  was  checked  by  a  drought  and  an 
epidemic  of  smallpox  so  malignant  in  character  as  to  nearly  paraJyze 
all  business,  and  many  of  those  who  could  left  for  other  and  more 
encouraging  fields  of  industry  ;  and.  although  the  railroad  was  com- 
pleted in  this  year,  giving  us  a  through  service  to  San  Francisco,  1 
cry  of  hard  times  continued  to  be  heard,  and  the  railroad,  which 
should  have  been  encouraged  and  looked  upon  as  an  industrial  and 
commercial  relief,  was  denounced  as  the  author  of  all  our  misfortunes. 
This  condition  of  things  continued  till,  when  the  censns  wa.^  taken  in 
June,  r88o,  Los  Angeles  had  the  beggarly  number  of  u. 200  people, 
and  those  of  us  who  could  not  get  away  knew  by  sad  experience 
what  "short  commons"  meant.  But  as  time  wore  on  the  condition 
of  things  began  to  impro\-e.  The  constitution  of  '79  had  been 
adopted.  New  laws  and  new  lords  were  looked  for.  Public  senti- 
ment,  so  toug  dormant  as  to  local  affairs,  began  to  rouse  itself  and  to 
demand  a  more  thorough  recognition  of  its  rights  and  needs  from 
the  SUte. 

An  active  and  energetic  legislative  delegation  at  Sacramento  had 
procured,  in  1881,  the  passage  uf  a  bill  for  the  establishment  of  a 
normal  school  at  this  place.  The  next  year  the  Nadeau  House  was 
commenced,  with  many  other  substantial  structures.  In  (^^3  was 
held  in  San  Francisco  the  great  triennial  convention  of  the  Knights 
Templar  of  the  Ignited  States.  Through  the  influence  of  many  ot 
the  order  here,  large  numbers  of  this  intelligent  body  of  I'raters,  on 
their  way  home,  were  ii;duccd  to  stop  over  in  Los  Angeles,  where 
they  were  hospitably  entertained  by  the  citizens  with  wine  and  fruit 
and  free  transportation  around  and  through  the  city  and  country, 
many  of  whom  declared  that  as  to  them  it  was  a  revelation  long  to  be 
remembered,  and  I  think  it  may  well  be  claimed  that  from  the  Knights 
thus  entertained,  in  connection  with  judicious  advertising  of  our 
products  and  climatic  comparison  with  other  countries,  was  the 
awakening  of  outside  public  sentiment  in  favor  of  Los  Angeles  that 
resulted  in  .1  steady  immigration  that  soon  after  set  in  and  continued 
till  the  boom  of  1S87. 


ms 


lOS  AJVfJBLE& 


n 


Tlioui;U  I  came  from  tlie  inierior  by  rail  and  sta^c,  ihc  principal 
travel  to  and  from  the  town  In  1875  was  by  slcamer,  which  made 
bi-weekly  trips  from  San  FraticiBco  to  Sau  Diego,  landing  in  the 
oflfinK  sometimes  at  San  Pedro  and  sometimes  at  Santa  Monica,  and  I 
well  remember  the  arrival  of  two  stages  from  the  latter  place  at  the 
Lafayette  Hotel  in  a  drenching  rain  on  the  13th  of  Norember,  the 
first  of  that  year. 

Of  the  schools  of  that  year  the  most  noted  and  principal  was  the 
High  School  on  the  hill,  of  which  Dr.  Lucky  was  principal.  The 
other  two  that  1  remember  were  the  Bath-street  school  and  one  in  a 
small  brick  building  00  the  corner  oi"  Second  and  .Spring  streets  on 
land  now  occupied  by  the  Bryson  block. 

Of  courts  of  record  there  were  two — the  then  Seventeenth  Jti- 
didfll  District  Court,  with  Sepulveda  as  Judge,  and  the  County  Court, 
with   probate  and  criminal  jurisdiction,  with  O'Melveuy  as  Judge. 

Of  the  lawyers  practicing  in  the  courts  ot  that  time,  they  seemed 
to  rae  like  the  collection  of  Silas  Wcgg  in  "Our  Mntnal  Friend." 
both  curiotis  and  various,  and  of  whom  I  refrain  to  further  speak. 

The  religious  clement  of  Los  Angeles  was  looked  after  by  sev- 
eral clergymen  of  zeal  and  piet>'.  I  remember  only  four  church 
edifices — the  Methodi«  on  Fort  street  (Broadway  now),  with  Rev. 
Mr.  Hicfccy  as  pastor  ;  tlie  Kpiscopal,  corner  of  New  High  and  Tem- 
ple, Rev.  Mr.  Hill  as  piastor  ;  the  Congregational,  on  N*cw  High 
5tre(;t,  Rev.  Mr.  Packard  pastor,  and  the  Catholic  church  on  the  Plsjfa. 

Whatever  may  be  said  of  the  lack  of  enterprises  of  a  commercial 
or  developing  character,  the  schools  and  churches  of  that  j>criod  were 
fairly  well  attended  and  supported.  But  the  contrast  of  then  and 
now  is  more  than  marvelous,  giving  to  the  zealous  workers  of  each 
renewed  hope  of  equal,  if  not  greater,  success  in  the  future. 


LEAVES  FROn  THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  LA5T  DECADE— i88o-'9o. 


KDWIN    BAXTHR. 


I  came  to  Los  Angeles  in  Atifrust,  iS8i.  During  the  months  be- 
fore the  winter  season  I  noticed  the  almost  continuous  smoke  of  small 
fires  in  the  open  fields  toward  the  mountains,  caused  by  the  burning 
of  straw  and  stubble  of  the  wheat  and  barley  fields.  The  country 
looked  bare,  with  no  apparent  sustenance  for  the  numerous  bauds  of 
sheep  that  roamed  the  open  fields,  except  the  btitlKms  roots  of  grass 
and  small  grains,  and  it  seemed  improWdeni  to  destroy  the  straw  and 
stubble.  For  one  or  two,  or  more,  years  there  had  bccti  less  than  the 
nsuai  amount  of  rain.  The  wc-atlier  continued  dry  until  late  in 
January.  One  day  (I  think  it  was  in  the  early  days  of  February)  a 
party  of  ns  rode  out  into  the  brush  land  some  twenty  miles,  beyond 
the  San  Gabriel  River,  toward  the  mountains.  It  was  nearly  dark 
when  we  returned  to  the  city,  and  so  cold  we  were  fearfully  chilled. 
The  next  day  it  commenced  snowing,  and  in  a  couple  of  hours  the 
ground  was  thoroughly  whitened.  The  snow  soon  melted  and  disap- 
peared in  and  about  the  city.  The  old  inhabitants  said  such  a  thing 
was  previously  unknown  here,  and  some  who  were  born  here  and 
grown  to  be  men  and  women  declared  they  had  never  before  seen 
snow  near  enough  lo  touch  it.  It  is  possible  they  had  made  no 
record  of  the  last  snow  storm,  for  some  others  who  have  not  been 
here  so  long  have  different  recollections ;  but  the  fact  remains  that 
we  have  not  since  seen  the  ground  white  in  Los  Angeles.  Out  near 
Colton  and  Riverside  that  snow  came  until  it  was  from  six  to  ten 
inches  deep,  and  fell  so  thickly  on  tbe  backs  of  the  sheep,  and  so  soon 
melted,  that  they  were  chilled  in  the  cold  nights  that  followc<l.  and, 
being  weak  and  famished  for  lack  of  the  straw  and  feed  that  had  been 
burning  day  after  day  all  the  fall,  thousands  of  them  died.  That 
winter  and  that  snow  storm  mark  an  era  in  sheep-raising  in  Southern 
California,  It  was  reported  that  before  another  winter  one-half  the 
sheep  in  San  Diego,  Los  Angeles  and  other  southern  counties  were 
sold  and  driven  away  or  slaughtered,  or  both.  It  was  not  so  bad  as 
in  the  dry  year,  or  5ea.son  of  i863-'4.  T  was  told  by  J.  F.  Cooper  of 
Santa  Barbara  that  in  that  notable  season  he  removed  his  flocks  and 
herds  from  Los  Nictos  and  vicinity — the  most  desirable  region  in  Los 
Angeles  connty  for  stock-raising — to  the  Santa  Rosa  Rancho,  in  Santa 
Barbara  county,  on  account  of  the  drought,  and  that  he  actually  cut 


I 
I 


LKA  V£S  FROM  THK  HtSTTiR  Y  OF  ThB  LAST  DECADK      76 


the  beads  ofl  Ihree  thousand  lambs  —  io  save  Ihrir  lives  f  Also  that 
be  sold  the  finest  wethers  for  lo  cents  per  head  for  ihc  same  reason. 
Bigbty-one  and  two  was  not  so  bad  here,  and.  in  fact,  we  had  the 
later  rain.  Being  a  "tenderfoot,"  and  owning  no  land.  I  did  not 
share  the  trepidation  of  those  who  did,  but  I  roineintwr.  as  an  illus- 
tration of  the  somewhat  general  distrust,  that  of  a  man  who  sold  his 
barley  6eld  for  S6oo  and  ten  days  after,  a  copioas  rain  havin)^  fallen, 
bougbt  it  back  for  $aooo.  A  banker  in  the  city  had  a  hay  ranch 
down  toward  the  ocean.  He  wanted  some  hay  for  his  horses,  and  told 
the  man  in  charge  of  his  ranch  to  bring  him  a  load,  but  added  :  "If 
you  can  sell  it  on  the  way  for  $25  per  ton  do  so."  After  six  or  seven 
days  be  started  to  the  farm  to  see  why  his  hay  did  not  come,  and  met 
his  man  with  a  load.  He  had  started  with  a  load  every  day,  and 
sold  it  before  reaching  town  for  f  25  or  more. 

The  prickly  pear  cactus  was  quite  commonly  fonnd  in  this  city 
ten  years  ago.  and  this  might  as  well  be  recoided,  for  a  few  years 
later  it  will  be  a  thing  of  the  past  and  pass  into  history,  in  the  city  at 
least.  It  was  one  of  those  strange  things  first  noticed  by  a  stranger 
from  the  northeast.  Eastern  people  called  it  an  overgrown  "old 
hen's  chickens."  Shortly  after  our  arrival,  walking  down  Fifth 
street  with  my  daughter,  we  came  to  one  of  these  strange  trees.  We 
had  heard  that  the  fruit  was  good  lo  eat  when  ripe,  after  the  prickles 
and  rind  were  off.  We  concluded  to  try  it,  and  I  picked  a  pear.  I 
have  seen  many  of  them  since,  on  high  and  low  stems,  from  the  brush 
land  near  the  foothills  to  the  top  of  the  mountains  of  Catalina  Island, 
and  I  dare  not  say  they  are  not  good  eating.  I  am  certain  they  are 
good  pifkiag,  for  one  of  them,  whatever  its  size,  is  a  handful,  and  it 
takes  a  long  time  to  pick  even  one.  I  am  sure  I  was  at  least  two  or 
three  days  picking  that  5rst  prickly  pear,  and  in  picking  out  and 
descanting  (pleasantly,  of  course)  on  the  fine  points  inherent  in  and 
upon  the  fruit.  After  such  an  experience  the  stor>'  that  "Peter 
Prangle,  the  prickly,  prangly  pear  picker,  picked  three  pecks  of 
prickly,  prangly  pears,"  means  more  than  a  lesson  in  articulation. 

We  first  took  rooms  at  the  Hammond,  since  named  the  Makara 
House  and  several  other  names,  situated  between  Third  and  Fourth 
street  on  Main,  where  the  new  Tu^'nverein  block  is  now  being  built. 
That  was  then  .iway  beyond  the  outskirts  of  the  business  portion  of 
the  city.  Per.ion!t  then  residents  remember  the  eight-sided  building 
just  notth  of  that  house  on  Main  street.  It  was  called  the  "  Round 
House,"  and  has  but  lately  been  removed.  It  was  then  used  as  a 
private  school  house.  The  yard  or  grounds  back  of  it.  extending  to 
Spring  street,  were  covered  so  thickly  with  n  great  variety  of  fruit 
and  other  trees  and  shmbs  one  conld  scarcely  see  through  thera.     Ac 


19       mSIVSWAL  SOCIJSTY  OP  SOUTHKBi^  CAUFflRHlA. 


the  west,  aloug  Spring  street,  nearly  or  quite  the  width  of  two  lots, 
was  a  row  of  those  prickly  pear  cactus  trees,  from  ten  to  fifteen  or 
more  feet  high,  and  many  of  the  trunks  from  six  to  twelve  inchea  in 
diameter,  and  the  thick,  fleshy  leaves  were  so  closely  interlaced  as  to 
be  as  impenetrable  as  any  hedge. 

And  this  is  the  story  they  told  us  of  thai  garden  or 
orchard :  The  owner  had  planted  it  with  all  manner  of  fruits, 
trees,  plants  and  shrubs  with  intent  to  make  it  a  veritable 
"Garden  of  Kden,"  and  that  is  what  he  named  it.  He  had  erected 
there  statues  of  men  and  women,  Adam  and  Eve,  and  X  don't  know 
how  many  beasts,  but  among  them  was  "the  old  serpent,"  Satan 
himself.  And  he  had  peopled,  or  intended  to  people,  the  garden  with 
all  manner  of  beasts,  birds  and  creeping  things — whether  living  or  in 
marble  I  am  not  informed.  But,  like  many  others  of  large  ideas  and 
plans,  before  as  well  as  since,  his  finances  were  not  equal  to  his  pur- 
poses, and  he  resorted  to  that  un-Eden-likc  makeshift,  covering  the 
garden  with  a  mortgage.  This  was  too  mnch  of  a  load  for  even  the 
Garden  of  Hden  to  carry.  Whether  the  new  *'old  serpent"  bad 
already  tempted  Eve  to  her  fall  was  not  related,  but  be  or  his  proto- 
type had  a  "grip  "  on  the  garden  itself,  and  the  owner  could  not  pay 
the  mortgage.  It  was  finallv  foreclosed,  and  the  garden  was  sold  on 
a  very  modem  California  plan.  This  was  a  sad  day  for  the  proprietor 
of  this  modern  Garden  of  Hden.  He  dug  graves  in  the  earth  of  the 
garden  and  buried  all  the  statues — Adam,  £ve,  the  serpent  and  the 
re-st — and  he  renamed  the  garden  "  Paradise  Lost."  Such,  we  were 
told.  wa.s  the  condition  of  that  little,  modern  paradise  when  first  we 
saw  it.  Rut  the  time  tor  redemption  had  not  yet  expired,  there  was 
stilt  "a  day  of  grace"  and  the  "lord  of  the  manor"  had  not  lost 
hope.  With  the  little  oil  still  left  in  his  lamp  he  was  directing  all  his 
energies  to  obtain  money  to  purchase  a  redemption,  .'\lrendy  he  had 
in  his  mind — if  not  actnally  engraved  on  marble — the  new  deWce  to 
put  over  the  gale,  'Paradise  Regained."  Sad  to  relate,  he  failed. 
He  died  a  few  yeanr  later,  no  donbt  of  a  bmken  heart.  Perhaps  this 
tale  should  not  go  into  the  archives  of  this  Historical  Society  in  all 
its  details,  but  I  am  a.'wured  it  is  "founded  on  facts." 

One  of  the  events  of  the  last  decade  which  thase  who  were  here 
will  not  forget,  was  the  rainy  season  of  1883-4.  The  early  winter 
months  were  dry.  On  the  first  day  of  February,  1884,  it  was  rain- 
ing softly  nearly  all  day.  We  had  wet  weather  from  that  time  until 
late  in  April,  not  a  little  in  May,  and  rain  fell  everj*  month  in  that 
year.  On  or  after  the  20th  day  of  May  snow  was  on  the  nearer 
mountains  and  hills,  and  old  snow  was  still  seen  on  the  distant  peaks 
until  Lite  in  July.     lu  the  great  flood  of  that  year  forty-three  houses 


I 
I 

I 

I 
I 


UiA  VS8  PBOM  THE  UISIOR  Y  OF  TffK  LAST  DKVADR.      TT 


'■WCTC  moved  from  their  places  in  ?hts  city,  on  tbc  low  lands  near  the 
rirer.  and  rineyards  and  orchards  were  swept  away.  All  belov 
Alameda  street  was  under  water  at  one  time  from  two  to  three 
inches  to  several  feet  deep.  Some  of  the  houses  were  carried  a  con- 
siderable distance  down  the  river,  and  two  or  three  persons  were 
drowned  in  the  city  and  vicinity.  In  iS86  a  sudden  storm  caused 
1x58  Angeles  River  to  overflow  its  bnnks  to  almost  as  great  an  extent 
for  a  few  hours ;  but  that  was  a  sudden  freshet,  caosed,  it  was  said. 
by  a  cloud  burst.  Several  times  during  that  rainy  season  of  1884 
the  mnd  and  fllth  along  Main  and  Spring  streets,  at  the  centre  of 
business,  was  piled  in  heaps,  to  be  carted  away  the  uext  day  :  and 
when  the  next  day  dawned  it  would  be  found  leveled  almost  like  the 
surface  of  a  lake  over  the  street,  occasioned  by  the  pour-down  in 
the  night.  There  were  no  paved  streets  and  but  few  sidewalks  in 
the  dty  at  that  time,  and  the  safest  way  for  a  pedestrian  to  climb  to 
the  top  of  the  first  line  of  hills  during  a  storm  was  to  walk  on  the 
cobble  stones  with  which  the  gutters  at  the  sides  of  the  streets 
were  paved. 

Here  let  me  say  for  Southern  California,  that,  having  from  time 
to  time  before  coming  here  heard  and  read  about  the  "rainy  season" 
in  California,  I  had  something  of  a  picture  in  my  mind  of  what  it  was 
or  should  be,  and  the  spring  of  1884  is  the  only  rainy  season  I  haw 
seen  in  the  last  twelve  years  which  corresponds  to  that  picture. 

There  were  many  customs  rife  in  j88o  and  later  that  have  since 
become  but  memories  of  the  past.  I  look  an  office  in  Temple  Block 
early  in  1882.  On  one  side  was  a  township  justice's  court,  on  the 
other  the  dty  justice's  court.  Just  across  Market  street,  in  the  old 
court  house,  were  held  the  two  departments  of  the  superior  court. 
The  custom  then  prevailed  of  calliug  into  court  any  suitor,  attorney 
or  witness  who  failed  to  appear  when  bis  case  was  called,  by  shooting 
his  name,  three  times  repeattrd.  from  the  nearest  window.  Generally, 
nearly  every  hour  of  the  day.  or  oftcner,  of  six  days  in  the  week, 
some  one  or  more  names  would  be  called  three  times  from  a  window 
in  that  block  or  from  the  other  side  of  the  street.  On  some  days  the 
names  of  some  of  the  younger  attorneys  would  be  heard  with  such 
frequency  as  to  suggest  a  "put  up  job"  of  advertising.  Sometimes 
these  calls  created  no  little  amusement.  One  day  a  court  officer 
screamed  from  the  window  nearest  my  open  office  door  :  "John  W. 
Homer,  Esq.,  John  W.  Homer,  Esq.,  John  W.  Horner.  Esq.'*  The 
words  of  the  third  call  had  scarcely  left  his  lips  when  from  another 
window  at  the  comer  of  the  block  came,  in  the  clear  tones  of  a  young 
law  student :  "Gone  round  the  comer  a  square,  gone  round  the  cor- 
ner a  square,  gone  round  the  comer  a  square."      This  custom   has 


78        HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA. 


passed  away — gone  into  desuetude,  and  is  even  now  almost  foigotten. 

The  coniraott  council  ( I  beg  the  pardon  of  my  Triend  Robinson, 
the  very  efficient  city  clerk  of  that  period,  who  would  never  permit 
the  use  (rf  the  word  "common"  as  a  prefix  to  the  title  <rf  the  city 
legislature),  the  city  council,  "Muy  liuslre  Ayuntamienio"  met  in 
the  room  in  the  southeast  comer  of  the  second  floor  of  the  Temple 
Block — the  same  room  in  which  this  Historical  Society  was  organized. 
I  frequently  attended  their  sessions  —  always  held  in  the  evening, 
when  a  person  in  the  back  n:m-  of  benches  could  bnt  little  more  than 
distingnish  the  features  of  the  members  throu^^h  the  thick  tobacco 
smoke.  There  was  no  carpet  on  the  floor,  but  notwithstanding  the 
presence  of  numerous  cuspidors,  it  would  scarcely  be  correct  to  say 
the  floor  was  bare.  And  very  frequently  at  these  sessions  there  were 
refined  women  present  —  having  some  matter  of  humane  or  personal 
interest  to  present  —  women  who  would  almost  as  soon  have  colerated 
a  mouse  as  a  single  cigar  in  their  apartments  at  home,  yet  who 
would  sit  for  hours  wailing  to  have  their  case  taken  up  beyond  that 
thickness  of  darkness  and  mingled  bad  tobacco  and  foul  breaths. 
If  there  is  one  thing  more  than  others  that  indicates  the  advance- 
ment of  ci\-ilization  in  the  West,  it  is  the  banishment  of  tobacco  from 
city  council  rooms  and  public  balls. 

I  will  mention  one  other  custom  that  used  to  trouble  us  until  we 
were  used  to  it.  It  was  the  night  fire  alarm  —  three  pistol  shots  in 
succession.  It  was  a  long  time  before  we  ceased  to  listen  for  a  cry 
of  "murder"  instead  of  the  rattle  of  the  fire  engines  immediately 
after  being  startled  from  sleep  by  the  "one,  two,  three"  of  the 
policeman's  rei'olver. 

The  wonderful  boom  of  Los  Angeles  and  Southern  California 
began  and  ended  between  iSSi  and  1889,  aud  really  occupied  all 
those  years.  A  brief,  partial  but  spicy  history  of  that  cyclone  has 
already  been  presented  by  Prof.  Guinn,  and  has  a  place  in  our  Annual 
of  1890.  A  separate  paper  might  be  written  upon  each  of  many 
separate  subjects  connected  with  and  afiected  by  the  boom,  The 
schools  (public  and  private),  the  churches,  the  banks  (every  pro- 
jected city  or  village  had  one  or  more,  present  or  prospecti\*e),  the 
street  railroads  (horse,  cable  and  electric),  the  street  pavements  (all 
or  nearly  all  of  which  have  been  laid  since  1SS5),  and  many  other 
matters,  not  excepting  the  old,  c\fcrj'  night  cries  of  the  Mexican 
tamale  vender:  "^TamaUs,  miienUi,  aqui.'-  These  tamales  have 
now  given  way  to  the  base  imitations  of  the  northern  invader. 

The  Protestant  churches  here  in  i88t  were  the  Methodists  (First. 
German  and  Trinity  South),  First  Presbyterian  (in  a  building  now 
used  as  a  dwelling,  but  then  as  school  house,  next  south  of  the  First 


LEA  VES  FROM  THE  HJSTOR  Y  OF  THE  LAST  HECADB.      79 


Methodist,  on  Broadway,  Uie  Baptist  in  Good  Templars'  Hall,  the 
Christian  on  Temple  street,  the  Episcopaliun  at  comei  of  New  Yii^h 
and  Temple  streets,  the  Coagregational  on  New  High  street,  north  of 
Temple  street.  Not  a  cotmnodioiu,  convenient  bouse  among  them, 
unless  it  was  the  First  Methodist.  Within  three  months  aAer  I 
came  I  vtNted  each  of  these  at  least  once,  being  a  regular  attendant 
of  one.  Except  the  First  Methodist  and  the  Presbyterian  there 
were  sometimes  regular  ser\'ice!>  in  each  of  them  (especially  in 
the  evening),  in  which  the  congregation  was  not  over  &fty,  and  in 
se\'eral  of  them  it  was  below  twen^-five  on  some  occasions.  Before 
the  end  of  1S85  each  of  these  churches  —  denoiiiiuations  —  had 
built  and  fairly  filled  the  spacious  edifices  now  occupied  by  them, 
which  seat  from  six  hundred  to  fifteen  hundred  or  more.  Aud  some 
of  the  uew  organizations  exceed  the  old  in  numbers  at  this  time. 
The  City  Directory  for  1892  gives  the  names  and  location  of  fifty- 
five  Protestant  churches  and  congregations.  Among  these  are  six- 
teen Methodist,  ten  Presbyterian,  sis  Congregational,  five  Br.ptist, 
five  Gennan,  and  one  each  of  Swedish,  Welsh  and  Chinese  churches. 
The  Roman  Catholic  Church,  being  the  oldest  here,  was  in  i88r  rep- 
resented by  the  old  "Church  of  our  Lady  of  the  Angels,"  near  the 
plaza,  and  the  cathedral  "St.  Vibiana,"  on  Main  street.  That 
denomination  now  has  congregations  and  costly  school  buildings 
north,  south,  east  and  west,  in  the  city.  The  Jewish  Tabernacle 
remains  as  it  was  in  1S81,  and  has  its  regular  services. 

An  interesting  chapter  might  be  written  upon  the  histor>-  and 
decay  of  the  old  adobe  structures,  many  of  which  were  prominent 
land  marks  in  the  city  ten  years  ago,  but  have  now  disappeared. 
Like  the  long  adobe  row  on  the  corner  of  Spring  and  Franklin 
streets,  the  very  ceuter  of  business,  which  was  occupied  for  the 
jailor's  residence,  with  the  jail  yard  in  the  rear,  the  police  head- 
quarters, the  city  clerk's  oflfice  and  for  other  public  uses,  until  1885. 
This  would  properly  include  a  longer  period  than  the  decade  from 
18S0  to  1890,  and  can  be  better  treated  by  an  older  resident. 


PASADENA— THE  CROWN  OF  THE  VALLEY. 


JEANNE  C.   CAJtK. 


Pasadena,  the  name  adopted  by  the  San  Gabriel  Orange  Grove 
Association  (earlier  known  as  the  Indiana  Colony  of  California)  for 
the  home  of  its  choice,  is  an  Algonquin  word,  signifying  the  key,  or 
the  crown,  of  the  valley.  It  lies  at  the  extreme  eastern  end  of  the 
once  wide  domains  of  the  San  Gabriel  Mission,  and  was  considered 
one  of  its  choicest  possessions,  from  the  abandance  of  wood  and  water 
and  convenience  of  access  from  l^s  Angeles  and  the  seaport  of  San 
Pedro.  The  grant  of  which  it  is  a  part  was  named  San  Pasqual,  in 
remembrance  of  a  friendly  Indian  chief,  who  was  baptized  at  San 
Gabriel  on  the  day  of  that  saint  while  his  tribe  occupied  the  territory. 

The  first  legally  recognized  owner  was  Kulalia  Perez,  an  Indian 
woman,  to  whom  the  ranch  was  granted  on  tbe  day  of  San  Pasqual  in 
recognition  of  her  services  as  nurse  and  midwife-  She  died  at  I.os 
Angeles  about  18S5  at  the  reputed  age  of  120  years,  but,  through 
her  failure  to  occupy  and  improve  the  tract  as  the  law  required,  at 
the  expiration  of  the  time  specified  in  the  grant  it  passed  into  the 
hands  of  Manuel  Garfias.  a  popular  officer  and  favorite  of  Gov. 
Micheltorena.  He  built  a  spacious  adobe  house  ou  the  bank  of  the 
Arroyo  S6:o,  overlooking  Oarvanza,  and  made  his  home  the  seat  of 
lavish  hospitality.  Only  the  best  rooms  had  floors  of  wood,  and  the 
single  chamber  above  was  lighted  by  two  dormer  windows.  This 
pioneer  home  was  a  favorite  resort  of  the  gay  Angclcftos,  who  pur- 
sued noble  game  into  the  forested  caflons  of  the  Sierra  Madres  by 
day  and  danced  with  the  lovely  sefloritas  all  night,  tbe  lingering  rep- 
resentatives upon  this  continent  of  the  age  of  chivalry  !  Some  of 
the  oaks  are  yet  standing  where  the  seftoritas  hung  their  hammocks 
from  the  great  limbs  and  awaited  in  "drowsy  indolence"  the  return 
of  the  victors  with  tlieir  spoils.  There  was  neither  fruit  tree  or 
garden  on  the  property.  At  dawn  of  day  the  Indian  herders  opened 
the  corrals,  when  the  bell  mare,  fleetest  and  most  prized  of  the  natiix 
stock,  led  the  band  of  wild  horses  northward  along  the  Arroyo  S6co 
to  crop  the  rich  herbage  of  the  Aitadcna  highlands.  The  name 
given  to  this  portion  of  the  ranch,  "  La  Sabaflellcs  de  San  Pasqual  " 
(altar  cloth  of  Snn  P.isqufll),  was  descriptive  of  the  glorious  robe  of 
poppies  which  can  yet  be  seen  by  sailors  far  out  at  sea.     Added  to 


PASAtlSSA—THE  C/fOWX  OF  THE  VALLEY. 


81 


these  natural  attractions,  was  the  substantia!  encouragement  given  to 
horticultural  cnicrpriscs,  as  seen  in  tbc  profitable  orchardsjind  vine- 
yards of  B.  D.  Wilson,  Gen.  Stoneman,  Messrs.  Titus  and  Rose,  with 
ntunerous  smaller  groves  of  the  Alhambra,  on  the  line  of  a  railroad 
connecting  the  two  oceans. 

When  the  committee  sent  out  from  Indiana  in  August,  1873,  to 
examine  and  report  upon  a  location  for  a  colony  had  completed  their 
tabors  they  were  unanimous  in  favor  of  Pasadena,  and  the  bouse  is 
yet  standing  which  sheltered  the  first  inhabitant.  But  it  was  not 
until  the  13th  of  November,  when  the  effect  of  the  financial  crash  of 
that  year  had  somewhat  abated,  that  the  San  Pa.squal  I,and  and 
Water  Company  was  incorporated,  B.  S.  Eaton  of  the  Fair  Oaks 
Ranch  being  made  president  and  D.  M.  Berry  secretary.  After 
examining  many  sites  in  the  neighborhood,  the  companj'  pttrchased 
of  Dr.  J.  S,  Griffin  of  Los  Angeles  4000  acres  of  tbe  Rancho  San 
Pasqual.  To  this  a  goodly  slice  was  added  on  the  east  from  a  delight- 
ful oak-cov-ered  pasture  of  the  Wilson  estate.  The  name  Pasadena 
(meaning  either  the  key  or  crown  of  the  valley)  was  suggested  by 
Dr.  Hlliott,  and  met  with  general  approval.  At  a  critical  moment  iu 
tbe  negotiation  Mr.  Thimias  Croft,  one  of  the  colonists,  laid  down 
the  amouut  requirctl  in  payment,  and  the  home  of  the  colony  was 
securwl. 

In  a  similar  spirit  the  separate  allotments  n-erc  made.  It  was 
an  anxious  moment  when  the  twenty-seven  incorporators  met  for  that 
purpose  on  a  commanding  height  with  the  maps  and  surveys  for  the 
selection  of  their  individual  homesteads,  and  the  more  delicate  task 
of  selection  for  the  absentees  whose  proxies  they  held.  In  some 
•  cases  the  careful  savings  of  years  were  devoted  to  secure  a  motlest 
home,  where  a  cherished  in\'alid  might  lengthen  out  his  days  in  a 
genial  climate.  Among  the  rest  stood  Calvin  Fletcher,  a  wealthy 
citizen  of  Indiana  and  one  of  the  incorporators,  who  proposed  that 
tbe  holders  of  single  shares  of  stock  should  first  make  their  selections, 
and  80  on  in  that  order.  When  the  distribution  was  over  each  of  the 
twenty-seven  stockholders  had  secured  his  chosen  homestead,  and 
improvements  were  begun  immediately. 

The  first  house  in  Pasadena  had  already  been  built  by  Mr.  A.  O. 
Bristol,  and  is  still  standing,  at  the  junction  of  Lincoln  and  Orange 
Grove  avenues.  The  huge  pepper  tree  which  overshadows  it  is  also 
the  pioneer  of  its  species  among  the  thousands  seen  in  the  modem  city. 

In  three  years  from  the  time  of  purchase  the  face  of  the  countr>* 
was  transformed  by  the  young  orchards  and  vineyards. 

Nearly  every  shareholder  was  able  to  secure  a  wood  lot  along  the 
bed  of  the  Arroyo  S4co,  or  in  the  foothills,  thickly  felted  with  grease 


82        aiSTOKIVAM  SOC/STY  OF  SOVTHBRN  CALlFOSyiA. 


wood  busfa««,  whose  gnarled  roots  furnished  excellent  fiiel.  East 
Pasadena  at  that  time  was  a  scattered  grove  of  oaks,  through  which 
a  wagon  track  led  to  the  Santa  Anita  Ranch.  Many  of  these  fine 
trees  have  been  presen-ed. 

Soon  the  work  of  home-making  commenced  in  earnest,  under 
conditions  new  to  all  the  colonists.  Letters  to  friends  left  in  "  the 
Stales  "  had  little  effect  for  a  time,  the  inference  beiug  that  sun  stroke 
had  turned  the  heads  of  the  writers.  A  pencil  sketch  of  a  jew  fifth 
captured  at  Catalina  Island  by  one  of  the  colonists,  with  attestation 
of  its  weight,  when  passed  around  among  his  eastern  neighbors, 
tended  to  deepen  this  impression. 

The  first  marriage  celebrated  in  Pasadena  was  that  of  Mr.  Charles 
H.  Watts  to  Millie,  daughter  of  Major  Erie  Locke  of  Locke  Haven. 
The  primitive  home  of  the  young  couple  was  a  one-roomed  cottage 
with  a  lean-to  kitchen  attached.  Nevertheless,  it  was  made  to  do 
duty  as  a  church  for  the  Presbyterians  uotil  Har\'ey  Watts,  the  first 
child  bom  in  the  colony,  lifted  up  his  voice  in  proof  of  Adam's  fall. 

The  Pasadena  settlement  originally  included  Lincoln  Park  on 
the  southeast  and  Altadena  and  the  highlands  on  the  northwest.  The 
Arroyo  S^hj,  having  gathered  its  stream  from  unfailing  sources  in  the 
Sierra  Madre  range  of  mountains,  could  be  depended  upon  for  an 
unfailing  water  supply  as  long  as  rains  and  snow  should  fall  and  the 
forest  conser^'otories  of  springs  and  surface  moisture  were  preser\'ed. 
Within  the  limits  of  the  purchase  the  stream  meandered  through  a 
natural  park,  whose  terraced  banks  were  preserved  from  denudation 
by  dense  thickets  of  ccanothus,  dwarf  oak  and  manfanita.  Five 
species  of  oaks,  many  of  great  sire,  filled  the  more  ojien  portions  of 
the  caflon,  and  giant  sycamore  trees  protected  natural  ferneries  even 
richer  than  those  which  yet  linger  in  their  mountain  retreats.  No 
pen  could  describe  the  glory  of  the  poppy  fields  which  filled  the  valley 
and  swept  northward  iu  wa\*es  in  gold. 

As  orange  culture  was  the  leading  pursuit  of  the  colonists,  the 
entire  tract  became  an  almost  solid  grove.  There  were  no  division 
fences,  and  the  modest  homes,  set  far  back  from  the  streets,  were 
^soon  lost  behind  the  quick-growing  eucalyptus  and  pepper  trees. 
Many  a  traveler  by  the  adobe  road  drew  rein  at  Williams'  store,  the 
busines.s  center,  to  inquire  the  way  to  Pasadena. 

The  choicest  locations  were  then  considered  those  of  the  southern 
extremity  of  the  tract,  where  each  rounded  bill  commanded  somel 
charm  of  outlook  unshared  by  the  others.  The  .selections  of  Messrs. 
Porter,  Green  and  Dougherty  were  peculiarly  happy,  and  among  the 
first  to  be  improved.  That  of  the  latter  included  a  typical  oak  of 
grand  proportions,  which  is  still  wa\'ing  its  green  centaury,  untouched 


PASADSyA—TUE  CRO  Wlf  OP  THK  VALhKY. 


9S 


by  the  ax.  Within  the  sound  of  the  old  misnion  bcll%  with  the  peer- 
less Bacou  Hill  on  the  east  and  the  richly-wooded  emioence  of  Lincoln 
Park,  on  the  west,  with  the  Arroyo  S^co  winding  its  silver  thread 
through  a  richly-wooded  foreground,  and  the  aunny,  undulating 
slopes  of  South  Pasadena  in  the  rear,  it  is  little  wonder  that  the  first 
settlers  of  that  Kction  were  unaffected  by  the  boom  in  real  estate, 
and  saw  without  envy  the  costly  villas  covering  cvcrj'  other  eminence 
in  their  neighborhood.  Nature  so  finished  and  decorated  the  work 
of  their  hands  that  the  modest  cottage  ot  an  early  settler  in  South 
Pasadena  has  almost  rivalled  the  mission  as  a  point  of  interest  for 
eastern  travelers. 

Tfae  Pasadenans  soon  learned  that  the  relation  of  the  young 
orange  tree  to  its  owner  is  not  unlike  that  of  a  chiid  to  it!i  parent  — 
the  returns  for  years  of  ceaseless  labor  and  watchfulness  depend  upon 
many  conditions  besides  those  ol  heredity  and  environment,  such  as 
timely  and  abundant  watering,  frequent  restriction  by  pruning,  and 
long  continued  cultivation.  "  Plant  the  grape  for  your  children,  the 
orange  for  your  grandchildren  and  the  olive  for  your  great  grand- 
children," was  a  European  adage  often  quoted  by  the  packers  in  their 
intercourse  with  the  early  settlers  of  Southern  California. 

The  first  orange  plantations  were  of  mission  pedigree,  but  grad- 
ually the  Washington  navel,  which  was  first  grown  at  Rivererside, 
the  Mediterranean  sweet.  Saint  Michael  and  many  other  foreign  vari- 
eties were  introduced.  Many  hedges  were  planted  of  the  Mexican 
lime,  and  nearly  all  cultivated  lemons.  In  many  orchards  deciduous 
fruit  trees  of  various  kinds  were  grown  in  alternate  rows  with  the 
young  citrus  trees,  to  be  relegated  to  the  wood  pile  as  the  latter 
matured.  The  enchanting  effect  of  these  mixed  orchards  in  their 
season  of  bloom  is  indescrit>ablc,  especially  when  seen  on  a  large 
scale,  as  at  Baldwin's  Santa  Anita  ranch,  where  40,000  almond  trees 
lead  a  floral  proces-sion  in  which  nearly  e\ery  kind  of  citrus  and 
deciduous  fruit  not  strictly  tropical  is  represented.  The  home 
orchards  of  Pasadena  gave  even  greater  satisfaction  to  their  owners, 
being  mostly  cultivated  by  their  own  hands. 

Upon  one  of  the  Pasadena  homesteads,  covering  forty-two  acres,  , 
was  planted  in  1878-1880:  700  orange  trees,  including  the  budded 
varieties;  50  lemons;  500  limes  (iu  hedge):  100  apricots,  of  six 
varieties  ;  40  nectarines,  six  varieties  :  Smyrna  and  other  figs,  50 ; 
apples.  75,  of  which  tweuty-five  were  crabs  :  cherries,  ao  ;  plums,  20; 
prunes,  200 ;  peaches,  300  ;  Japanese  persimmons,  30  trees,  ten  \'arie- 
ties ;  English  walnuts,  set  as  shade  trees  on  streets,  122  ;  prepartu- 
neus  walnuts,  10;  almonds.  30;  butternuts,  20 :  chestnuts,  native 
and  Italian.  lo;  hickory,  10:  pecan,  10,      Of  the  small  fruits  the 


HlSTORfCAI.  SOCIETY  Of  SOCTHERN 


then  leading  varieties  of  each  were  represented,  and  a  considerable 
amount  of  strawberries  were  raised  for  matket.  One  acre  was 
devoted  to  blackberries.  Fifty  varieties  of  the  grape  were  tested, 
and  tons  of  Mucat  and  Muscatel  and  gordo  bianco  were  marketed 
annually  when  these  plantations  matured.  Cuttings  by  the  thousand 
were  made,  and  either  sold  or  gratuitously  distributed,  until  the  mys- 
terious ^^□e  disease  appeared  to  annihilate  even  the  v'eiierable  stocks 
of  wild  vines  at  the  Mission  San  Gabriel  and  in  the  caflons.  Only  a 
few  %'tneyardfi  in  the  foothills  escaped.  It  went  as  mysteriously  as  it 
came,  and  no  effectual  remedy  was  ever  discovered. 

Misfortunes  never  come  singly,  and  the  cottony  cushion  scale, 
which  already  had  excited  alarm,  now  threatened  the  extinction  of 
the  orange  culture.  It  was  a  stranger  in  tne  land,  and  mttltiplied 
with  unparalleled  rapidity.  The  birds  rejected  it,  and  for  a  while 
Nature  seemed  to  have  no  remedy  in  store.  The  pest  had  been  im- 
ported upon  ornamental  stock  from  Australia,  and  was  first  observed 
at  Temcscal.  near  Oakland,  in  trimmings  of  acacia  trees.  About  the 
same  time  the  Los  Angeles  orchards  were  infested  from  another  lot 
containing  flame  trees,  which  were  distributed  in  the  city,  and  one  at 
]east  was  planted  at  the  Rose  ranch.  It  wandered  north  as  far  as 
Santa  Barbara,  but  fortunately  for  the  State  did  not  include  the 
interior  or  northern  counties  in  its  ravages.  The  eastern  part  of  Los 
Angeles  and  all  of  San  Bernardino  counties  were  exempted.  All 
ordinary  treatment  failed,  and  the  loss  in  production  had  become 
very  serious,  when  the  United  States  go\-cmmcnt  took  the  matter  in 
band,  and  through  the  Bureau  of  Agriculture  found  in  another 
coleopterous  insect  the  vedalia  cardinalis,  a  natural  and  ultimately 
effectual  relief.  The  story  of  the  propagatiou  and  distribution  of 
this  insect  —  savior  of  the  groves — reads  like  a  romance.  But  the 
end  was  not  yet.  With  the  spread  of  entomological  knowledge, 
other  predacious  itisecls  were  discovered,  and  inspection  became  a 
recognized  function  of  government.  All  this,  though  discouraging 
at  the  time,  was  not  a  serious  check  to  the  fruit  industry,  which  has 
kept  pace  with  the  development  in  other  directions,  moving  on  and 
occupying  new  ground  as  the  pressure  of  population  demanded. 

The  followiug  compilation  from  the  report  of  the  Board  of  Trade 
is  a  careful  estimate  of  the  numt>er  of  bearing  fruit  trees  within  the 
city  of  Pasadena  and  in  its  immediate  vicinity  : 

Seedling  oranges  over  ten  years  old,  sio.ooo. 


PASADEIfA—TIIE  CROWN  OF  TBK  VALLKY. 


SS 


Lemons:  Lisbons  and  Eurekas,  10,000. 

Total  acreage  in  oranges,  1,350. 

Total  acreage  in  lemons,  150. 

Total  acreage  in  deciduous  Fruits  and  olives,  1,500. 

In  1890,  75.000  Iwxcs  of  oranges  were  shipped  to  caRtem 
market,  besides  tnc  cnortnous  qnantities  manufactured  into  mar- 
malade and  cryRtalize<l.  The  Bishop  Loop  Company  employed  from 
twenty-five  to  fifty  hands  in  this  work  for  four  months,  turning  out 
tweutj'-five  tons  of  the  finished  product,  which  commanded  the 
highest  prices  in  the  markets  of  the  country. 

The  young  pnine  orchards  now  came  to  the  front,  and  from 
1888-9?  the  centers  of  activity  in  the  preparation  of  deciduous  fruits 
for  market  drew  hundreds  of  visitors. 

During  all  these  changes  Pasadena  continued  to  attract  greater 
numbers  of  health  seekers  who,  tired  of  wandering  from  Maine  to 
Florida  and  even  in  foreign  lands,  were  looking  for  country  homes  iu 
the  neighborhood  of  Los  Angeles.  In  our  day,  wheo  a  great  move- 
ment of  population  is  in  the  air,  the  same  Providence  who  guides  the 
migration  of  birds,  sends  in  advance  the  projector  erf  a  mammoth 
hotel.  Thus  the  far  famed  Raymond  Hotel  took  root  upon  a  hill 
which  seemed  made  to  order  for  such  a  purpose,  and  was  both  a  con- 
sequence and  cause  in  the  march  of  events. 

In  its  open  season  of  1886-S7.  thirty-five  thousand  guests  were 
registered,  and  of  these  not  a  few  became  permanent  citizens  of 
Pasadena.  From  there  moantain  excursions  and  sea  side  enjoyments 
could  be  brought  into  the  pleasures  of  a  single  day,  and  the  old 
mission  of  San  Gabriel  was  an  inexhaustible  source  of  interest, 
Soutbem  California  seemed  truly  "Lotus  laud"  to  the  tonrists.  the 
winter  opening  with  a  tournament  of  roses  in  Pasadena  and  a  floral 
carnival  in  Santa  IJarbara. 

Hardly  had  the  original  San  Pasqual  settlement  gathered  its  finit 
orange  than  that  of  Lake  Vineyard  on  the  east  began  to  show  its 
rows  of  young  trees.  This  enterprise  was  chiefly  promoted  by  citi- 
zens of  Oakland,  among  whom  were  Caspar  T.  Hopkins  and  Edward 
McLean.  Here  the  largest  solid  block  of  orange  trees  —  one  thou- 
sand acres —  was  planted  and  cultivated  under  one  management  for 
several  years,  until,  under  the  pressure  of  population,  it  was  swal- 
lowed up  in  the  growth  of  Pasadena.  It  was  a  trifling  matter  to 
create  a  home  when  so  much  of  l>eauty  and  use  had  already  been 
developed. 

In  1874  the  first  school  house  in  Pasadena  was  built  on  Orange 
Grove  Avenue,  under  a  grand  old  oak  and  in  close  neighborhood  to 
the  first  (Methodist)  church.    Miss  Jessie  Clapp  was  the  first  teacher. 


HISTORTCAL  ROCTETY  OF  SOVTNRRy  VALIFOBiyiA. 


In  the  summer  of  1H78  the  San  Pasqual  school  house  was  built  id  the 
business  centre  of  the  town,  upon  land  donated  for  the  purpose  by 
B.  D.  Wilson.  As  this  was  too  remote  for  pupils  in  the  south  part, 
a  6ve  acre  lot  was  purchased  from  A.  O.  Porter  and  a  neat  building 
erected  where  now  stands  the  cbarminK  home  of  Mr.  C.  D.  Dasgctt. 
To-day  the  public  schools  ore  accommodated  in  six  buildings,  four  of 
which  are  not  surpassed  in  California.  They  are  surrounded  with 
beautiful  grounds,  neatly  kept,  and  have  cost  S135.000.  Thirty-four 
teachers  are  employed,  under  ?.  competent  superintendent.  Nearly 
1500  pupils  are  in  attendance,  at  an  expense  to  the  city  of  S33. 237. 52, 
of  which  S2ft.537-49  was  for  teachers'  salaries.  The  work  of  educa- 
tion is  further  supplemented  by  excellcui  classical  and  other  private 
schools,  among  which  those  of  the  Misses  Orton,  for  girls,  and  the 
classical  school  of  Prof.  Clark,  for  boys,  deserve  honorable  mention. 
The  ladies  Orton,  Vassar  graduates,  are  also  daughters  of  that  emi. 
nent  teacher  and  explorer,  whose  work  upon  the  Andes  and  the 
Amazon  is  in  alt  our  libraries.  Last  and  mnst  important,  as  illus- 
trating the  trend  of  modern  education,  is  the  Throop  Polytechnic 
Institute,  a  school  cA  tcchnolog>',  with  a  classical  and  literati*  annex, 
the  gift  of  Hon.  .\.  O.  Throop.  This  venerated  citizen  has  set  a  wise 
example  in  being  his  own  executor. 

The  limited  space  atloted  for  this  stor>"  of  Pasadena  does  not 
allow  more  than  the  briefest  allusion  to  the  beauty  of  its  homes,  thei 
comfort  of  its  hotels  and  boarding  houses,  'with  the  Raymond  heading 
the  list.  Unhasting  and  unresting,  its  people  ha^-e  been  building 
better  than  they  knew.  The  value  of  their  work  as  represented  upon 
the  A^essor's  roll  was.  in  iSg.^,  $5,473,820.  The  assessable  values  in 
health,  happiness  and  social  improx'vment  must  be  estimated  in  the 
future. 

The  story  of  Pasadena  in  its  second  decade  'a  one  of  still  greater 
development,  of  less  picturesque  interest.  Its  street  improvements 
have  kept  pace  with  the  increase  of  population,  and  railroad  facili- 
ties have  made  it  practically  suburban  to  Los  Angeles.  One  may 
ride  from  Lamaiida  Park,  on  the  southeast,  to  Lincoln  Park,  on  the 
southwcsi,  through  a  coutiuuous  belt  of  orchards  and  homes,  each 
conveniently  "ear  a  railroad  station.  An  interesting  chapter  might 
be  written  i>f  the  wlucalional  development  of  the  city,  ending  with 
the  founding  of  the  Tliroop  Polytcvhnie  Institute,  on  the  principles 
announced  by  Ezra  Cornell,  "  Where  any  man  (or  woman)  may  find 
instruction  in  any  study."  .Another  prominent  citizen,  wise  in  his 
generation,  gives  the  whole  Sierra  Madrc  mountain  range,  with  its 
treasures  of  fertility  and  beauty,  in  the  constructiou  of  the  Lowe 


PASADENA— THE  CRO  WN  OF  THE  VALLEY.  87 

Mountain  Electric  Railroad.  As  night  drops  her  curtain  upon  the 
valley  and  twinkling  stars  appear  in  the  blue  above,  a  line  of  light 
runs  up  the  mountain  side,  and  as  mysteriously  loses  itself.  The 
principles  of  use  in  beauty,  and  beauty  in  use,  are  everywhere 
exemplified  in  the  story  of  Pasadena. 


88        HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SO  UTHERN  CALIFORNIA. 

SECRETARY'S   REPORT. 

1893. 

Number  of  meetings  held 12 

Number  of  papers  read 16 

Number  new  members  (active)  elected 20 

Number  corresponding  members  elected 4 

The  society  maintained  an  exhibit  at  the  Columbian  Exposition, 
Chicago,  in  charge  of  Mrs.  Mary  E.  Hart,  a  corresponding  member 
of  the  society.  The  exhibit  received  favorable  notices  from  the 
press  of  the  country. 

J.  M.  GuiNN,  Secretary. 


CURATOR'S    REPORT. 

LIBBABY  AND  COLLECTION. 

Number  of  bound  volumns  (cloth  or  leather) 6M     > 

Number  of  pamphlets  and  paper  covered  books 2818 

The  society  receives  copies  of  all  the  leading  newspapers  of 
Southern  California,  and  these  are  filed  for  binding. 

Number  of  dally  newspapers  received 10 

Number  of  we^y  newspapers  received 42 

Monthly  magazines  received 2 

Quarterlies  received 4 

The  society  has  a  large  collection  of  curios,  relics,  pictures,  pho- 
tographs, autographs,  maps  and  Spanish  documents.  Accessions  to 
the  library  and  the  collection  have  been  the  largest  this  year  of  any 
previous  year  since  its  organization. 

J.  M.  GuiNN,  Curator. 


Orsuili«d  NovMBber  1,   1883.  Iticorpontcd  February  13,  I8VI. 


ANNUAL  PUBLICATION 


OF    THE 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY 


OF 


Southern  California 


LOS    ANGELES 


.894 


PUBLISHED   BY  THE   SOCIETY 


LOS   ANGELES,   CAL. 

CURRAN  A,  BIRELEY,   PRINTERS 

1894 


88        HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA. 

SECRETARY'S   REPORT. 

1893. 

Number  of  meetings  held 12 

Number  of  papers  read 16 

Number  new  members  (active)  elected 20 

Number  corresponding  members  elected 4 

The  society  maintained  an  exhibit  at  the  Columbian  Exposition, 
Chicago,  in  charge  of  Mrs.  Mary  E.  Hart,  a  corresponding  member 
of  the  society.  The  exhibit  received  favorable  notices  from  the 
press  of  the  country. 

J.  M.  GuiNN,  Secretary. 


CURATOR'S    REPORT. 

LIBRARY  AND  COLLECTION. 

Number  of  bound  volumns  (cloth  or  leather) 654     « 

Number  of  pamphlets  and  paper  covered  books 2818 

The  society  receives  copies  of  all  the  leading  newspapers  of 
Southern  California,  and  these  are  filed  for  binding. 

Number  of  daily  newspapers  received 10 

Number  of  weekly  newspapers  received 42 

Monthly  magazines  received 2 

Quarterlies  received 4 

The  society  has  a  large  collection  of  curios,  relics,  pictures,  pho- 
tographs, autographs,  maps  and  Spanish  documents.  Accessions  to 
the  library  and  the  collection  have  been  the  largest  this  year  of  any 
previous  year  since  its  organization. 

J.  M.  GuiNN,  Curator. 


Orvwlsed  Novamtwr  1.   1883.  iBenrpontwl  Pebraary   13,  1891. 


ANNUAL  PUBLICATION 


OF     I'HE 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY 


OF 


Southern  California 


LOS    ANGELES 


1894 


PUBLISHED   BY  THE  SOCIETY 


LOS  ANGELES,  CAL. 

CURRAN  &  BIRELEY,  PRINTERS 

1894 


88        HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SO  UTHEBN  CALIFORNIA. 

SECRETARY'S   REPORT. 

1893. 

Number  of  meetings  held 12 

Number  of  papers  read 16 

Number  new  members  (active)  elected 20 

Number  corresponding  members  elected 4 

The  society  maintained  an  exhibit  at  the  Columbian  Exposition, 
Chicago,  in  charge  of  Mrs.  Mary  E.  Hart,  a  corresponding  member 
of  the  society.  The  exhibit  received  favorable  notices  from  the 
press  of  the  country. 

J.  M.  GciNK,  Secretary. 


CURATOR'S    REPORT. 

LIBRARY  AND  COLLECTION. 

Numlier  of  bound  voiumna  (cloth  or  leather) 654 

Numl>er  of  pamphlets  and  paper  covered  books 2818 

The  society  receives  copies  of  all  the  leading  newspapers  of 
Southern  California,  and  these  are  filed  for  binding. 

Number  of  dally  newspapers  received 10 

Number  of  weekly  newspapers  received 42 

Monthly  magazines  received 2 

Quarterlies  received 4 

The  society  has  a  large  collection  of  curios,  relics,  pictures,  pho- 
tographs, autographs,  maps  and  Spanish  documents.  Accessions  to 
the  library  and  the  collection  have  been  the  largest  this  year  of  any 
previous  year  since  its  organization. 

J.  M.  GuiNN,  Curator. 


OrxanizMl  NovMuber  t,   1883.  Inoorpontod  February  13.  1891. 


ANNUAL  PUBLICATION 


OF    THE 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY 


OF 


Southern  California 


LOS    ANGELES 


1894 


PUBLISHED   BY  THE  SOCIETY 


LOS  ANGELES,  CAL. 

CURRAN  &  BIfiELEY,  PRINTERS 

1894 


88        HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SO  UTHERN  CALIFORNIA. 

SECRETARY'S   REPORT. 

1893. 

Number  of  meetings  held 12 

Number  of  papers  read 16 

Number  new  members  (active)  elected 20 

Number  corresponding  members  elected 4 

The  society  maintained  an  exhibit  at  the  Columbian  Exposition, 
Chicago,  in  charge  of  Mrs.  Mary  E.  Hart,  a  corresponding  member 
of  the  society.  The  exhibit  received  favorable  notices  from  the 
press  of  the  country. 

J.  M.  GuiNN,  Secretary. 


CURATOR'S    REPORT. 

LIBRARY  AND  COLLECTION. 

Number  of  bound  volumcB  (cloth  or  leather) 654     « 

Number  of  pamphlets  and  paper  covered  booke 2818 

The  society  receives  copies  of  all  the  leading  newspapers  of 
Southern  California,  and  these  are  filed  for  binding. 

Number  of  daily  newspapers  received 10 

Number  of  weekly  newspapers  received 42 

Monthly  magazines  received 2 

Quarterlies  received 4 

The  society  has  a  large  collection  of  curios,  relics,  pictures,  pho- 
tographs, autographs,  maps  and  Spanish  documents.  Accessions  to 
the  library  and  the  collection  have  been  the  largest  this  year  of  any 
previous  year  since  its  organization. 

J.  M.  GuiNN,  Curator. 


« 


/      t. 


Orcanlxed  NovMnbcr  1.  1883.  Ineorpormtcd  February  13,  1891. 


I  ANNUAL  PUBLICATION 


OF    '/HE 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY 


OF 


Southern  California 


LOS    ANGELES 


1894 


PUBLISHED   BY  THE  SOCIETY 


LOS  ANGELES,  CAL. 

CURRAN  A.  BtRELEY,  PRINTERS 

1894 


CONTENTS. 


Officetv,  1894-95 4 

Inangnral  Addreu  of  President  C,  P.  Borland 5 

Conchological  Researches  in  San  Pedro  Bay  and  Vicinity — Mrs.  H.  B.Williamson.  10 

California  Fifty  Years  Ago— J.  M.  Goinn 16 

The  Chinese  Massacre  at  I^os  Angeles  in  1871 — C.  P.  Dorland „22 

Owens  Valley  Bartbqnake  in  187a — C.  Mulholland „vj 

California  in  the  Thirties — H.  D.  Barrows 33 

Recollections  of  the  Old  Court  Honse  and  Its  Bnilder — H.  D.  Barrows 40 

The  Americans  at  the  Battle  of  Cahaenga — F.J.  PoUey 47 

PioPico— H,  D.  Barrows 55 

Historical  Debris— J.  M.Guinn 67 

Overland  to  I,os  Angeles  in  1S49 — Judge  Walter  Van  Dyke .76 

Necrology JI4 

Secretary's  Report,  1894 85 

Report  of  the  Publication  Committee 86 

Curator's  Report,  1894 87 

Treasurer's  Report,  1894 87 


OFFICERS  OF  THE  SOCIETY. 


1894. 

OFFICERS  : 

C.  P.  DoRLAND President 

H.  D.  Barrows First  Vice-President 

Mrs.  M.  Burton  Williamson         -     Second  Vice-President 

Edwin  Baxtkr Treasurer 

J.  M.  GuiNN Secretary  and  Curator 

BOARD  OF  DIRECTORS : 

C.  P.  DoRLAND  Rev.  J.  Adam 

H.  D.  Barrows  Edwin  Baxter 

J.  M.  GuiNN  J.  D.  Moody 

Mrs.  M.  Burton  Williamson 


1895. 


OFFICERS  (ELECT): 

Edwin  Baxter President 

Mrs.  M.  Burton  Williamson         -        First  Vice-President 
Rev.  J.  Adam        .        .        .        .        Second  Vice-President 

H.  D.  Barrows Treasurer 

J.  M.  GuiNN  ...        -  Secretary  and  Curator 

BOARD  OF  DIRECTORS : 

Edwin  Baxter  J.  M.  Guinn 

Rev.  J.  Adam  H.  D.  Barrows 

Miss  T.  L.  Kelso  John  Mansfield 

Mrs.  M.  Burton  Williamson 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY 


OR 


SOUTTHERN    CALIFORNIA. 


LOS  ANGELES.   18G4. 


PRESIDENT'S  INAUGURAL  ADDRESS. 


BV  C.    P.    DORLAND. 


[I>eliT«T«dJ(Ui.  7,  l8^.) 

Ladifs  and  GtntUmen: — 

When  a  political  party  is  about  to  nominate  a  president,  it  publishes 
its  platfonD  and  sets  fortli,  at  length,  its  principles  and  the  line  of  con> 
duct  that  the  administration  will  follo%v. 

After  the  election  of  the  president,  be  selects  his  cabinet— a  body 
of  men  to  serve  as  counselors,  who  are  placed  at  the  head  of  the  various 
subdivisions  of  the  administrati\'e  department  of  the  government.  It  is 
their  dutj'  to  take  charge  and  control  of  their  respective  departmeats 
and  to  personally  advise  the  president  at  all  times  as  to  the  condition  of 
afTairs  within  their  respecti^■e  jurisdictions. 

Occasionally  a  president  is  elected  who  is  bigger  than  his  party,  and 
who  assumes  to  be  the  party,  and  then  he  conducts  the  affairs  of  the 
administration  according  to  his  own  sweet  will,  and  instead  of  ha^ng 
a  platform  of  principles  on  which  to  stand,  aud  instead  of  recei\'ing  ad- 
^  ^■ice  and  counsel  from  his  cabinet,  be  stands  on  bis  own  dignity,  and 
like  the  Centurion  of  old,  he  says  to  this  servant  "go"  aud  be  goeth 
and  to  this  one  "come"  and  he  cometh. 

The  president  of  this  Societj-  seems  to  be  elected  on  general  prind- 
plcfi,  without  being  committed  to  any  line  of  conduct  or  platform,  or 
course  of  action  being  laid  down,  by  which  he  is  to  be  controlled  or 
which  be  is  pledged  to  fulfill.     But  upon  taking  bis  seat,  he   is  ret^uired 


HISTORICAL    SOCIETY   OF    SOUTHERN   CALIFORNIA, 


to  appoint  certain  committees  haWuK  charge  of  the  various  departments 
,  of  work  sii])posed  to  be  carried  on  hy  the  Society.  So  now,  in  con- 
[formitj-  with  the  By-laws,  the  following  committees  arc  appointed: 

PUBLICATION    COMMITTBK. 

J.  M.  Gutnn,  Miss  T.  I,.  Kelso,  Edwin  Baxter. 

HISTORY. 

H.  D.  Rarrows,  Re\'.  J.  Adam,  A.  W.  Blair,  Oen.  J.  Man.sfieW. 
Oscar  Macy,  Anna  C.   MurjAy. 

GROIXjr.V. 

N.  Levering,  R.  H.  Hewelt.  Oeorge  Roughton. 

METRROI.OCV. 

Dr.  Walter  Undle>-,  Dr.  W.  T.  Edgar,  Maj.  E.  W.  Jones,  Leroy  D. 
Brown. 

CONCHOLOOV. 

Mrs.  M.  Burton  Williamson,  Mrs.  Mary  J.  Parker. 

GKNKA1.0GV   AND   HERALDRY. 

Dr.  J.  D.  Moody,  Geo.  H,  Stewart. 

BOTANY. 

Mrs.  RmmaS.  Marshall,  Mrv  Ella  H.  Enderlein. 

ENTOMOLOGY. 

t.  J.  Policy.  Jas.  L.  Smith. 

MINKRALOGV. 
John  W.  Hunt,  Miss  Florence  Dunham,  Dr.  E-  A.  De  Cailhol. 

These  very  learned  and  scientific  titles  seem  more  adapted  to  a 
college  curricuhmi  that  is  bidding  for  patronage,  than  to  a  line  of  study 
and  research  of  a  historical  society.  The  only  work  under  these  various 
heads  that  we  ought  to  take  up  is  purely  historical,  and  for  the  simple 
reason  that  we  are  a  historicat  and  not  a  scientific  society. 

The  heads  of  these  departments  are  supposed  to  be  diligent  at  all 
times,  both  in  .season  and  out  of  season,  in  attending  to  the  interests  of 
the  Societj',  as  represented  by  their  respective  deparUneut*.  There  are 
three  inevitable  accompaniments  of  all  these  appointments:  First,  hard 
work;  second,  no  salar>*,  and  third,  no  resignations. 

If.  a.s  president,  I  had  the  authority  to  say  to  you  to  do  this  or  do 
that  and  could  make  this  societ>'  what  I  would  like  to  see  it,  I  would 
say  to  you  authoritali^-ely: 

This  coming  year  niu«t  be  made  the  most  successfnl  one  in  its 
history. 

I  would  say  to  you,  my  cabinet,  we  must  work;  there  is  no  excellency 
without  it. 

We  must  each  one  individually  de^-ote  some  time  each  month  to  the 
interests  of  this  Society  if  we  would  make  it  a  success. 


PRESIDENT'S    INAVGUKAL    APHKESS. 


When  we  reflect  that  there  are  only  ten  more  meetings  in  this  year,  and 
when  we  see  so  much  that  ougbt  to  be  done,  the  time  is  altogether  too 
short  in  which  to  do  it. 

There  i»  not  enough  order  and  s>*slem  in  our  work,  there  is  not  enongh 
pre-anaagement.  It  has  been  tmt  much  the  custom  tu  depend  uiion  vol- 
unteer ser^'ice.  If  we  ha\'e  a  paper  read  or  remarks  made,  thc5'  have  all 
been  from  volunteers.  I  am  not  discouraying  volunteer  work  fur  1  ha-ve 
done  my  share  of  it.  but.  if  we  would  solicit  others  to  lend  a  hand  we 
would  often  obtain  valuable  help  that  we  otherwise  losie.  Often  there 
are  strangers  among  us  who  would  furnish  us  with  -\-aluable  •tervice.  if 
they  were  solicited. 

The  publication  committee  should  make  il  a  point  to  solicit  contribu- 
tions; it  should  make  out  a  program  for  the  ten  meetings  now  reniainiug 
and  make  the  chairmau  of  each  committee  tespoiisible  for  an  eveniug's 
program,  and  that  chairman  should  obtain  help  from  any  itource,  either 
within  or  without  the  Society. 

With  the  work  thus  pre-arranged  and  systematically  laid  out.and  with 
plenty  of  time  to  prepare,  we  will  accomplish  much  more  than  iu  this  de- 
sultory way  of  hap-hazard  volunteer  work,  and  be^^ides  iu  lliis  way  all 
will  be  induced  to  take  a  part  and  the  work  will  not  be  left  to  the  few. 
There  are  members  of  thus  Society  who  ha\'e  never  spoken  on  any  topic 
|jef€)TC  it  sdncc  lhc>'  have  l>L*en  connected  with  it. 

This  is  a  place  for  historical  rcT^earch ;  a  sort  of  storehou.se  for  hLstorical 
material,  and  if  each  would  bring  in  his  portion  there  will  be  enough  and 
to  sjiarc,  and  there  will  he  no  unemployed. 

At  the  World's  Fair  in  Chicago  the  item  in  the  New  Hampshire  exhibit 
in  the  Agrictiltural  Department  that  attracted  the  most  attention  was  an 
old  plow  that  Dsmiel  Webster  used  on  his  fami.  There  was  nnihing 
peculiar  al>out  it  not  common  to  all  large,  heavj'  plows  of  that  perio<l, 
but  it  was  a  curiosity  in  the  way  of  a  plow,  to  this  generation.  This 
plow  might  have  rotted  on  the  barnyard  straw  pile,  had  not  some  one. 
with  an  appreciation  of  the  historical  value  that  would  attach  to  it.  pre- 
served it  and  gave  to  this  geueratiou  an  example  more  forcible  than 
any  written  item,  of  the  kind  of  plows  used  by  our  grandfathers  on  the 
old  New  England  farms. 

The  work  of  this  Society  should  he  local— confined  to  histor>'  and  reUcs 
of  Southern  California.  This  field  ts  extensive  enough  to  engage  all  the 
time  and  the  means  of  the  Societ;-.  There  is  no  excuse  for  want  of  ma- 
terial of  the  most  interesting,  important,  and  instructive  charactBr.  and 
not  only  so,  but  much  ofit  is  fast  pa.s.'dng  away  and  can  never  be  re- 
placed, and  many  an  article  can  be  sa\x*d  now  that  is  of  no  particular 
\'alue  today  but  which  will  become  a  prized  souv-enir  in  the  future. 


UISrORICAL    SOCIETY    OF    SOt/THBHN    CALIFORNIA, 


Amoug  the  \-arioiis  topics  oi   historical   value  that  should  be  gathcret!' 
up  now,  the  following  are  suggested: 

A  histor>'  of  our  Mexican  jiopulatioii. 

A  history  of  the  various  Indiau  triljes  of  Southern  California. 

The  rebuilding  of  San  Tx>uis  Rev  Mission. 

The  growth  of  beet  sugar  manufacturing. 

The  citrus  indu3tT>*.  including  kind  aud  variety  of  trees  planted  and' 
where  mast  flourishing. 

The  destruction  of  the  scale  pest  and  the  formation  of  orange  grow- 
ers' association. 

The  output  and  development  of  our  canneries  and  fruit  drying  es- 
tablishments. 

The  gold  mining;  where  done  and  in  what  amount. 

Then  the  history*  of  the  financial  patiic  and  its  concomitants,  the 
tramp  and  the  unemployed  and  the  efforts  made  by  towns,  city  and  count>' 
to  relieve  the  distressed. 

The  manufactories,  their  output  and  value  (there  i.s  a  general  opin- 
ion that  we  have  no  manufactories  in  So.  Cat.). 

Histor>'  of  the  street  car  lines  in  this  cit>*:  ivhen  built,  and  on  what 
Streets,  aud  which  ones  ha\'e  been  abandoned. 

Then  there  is  a  vast  store  of  material  pertaining  to  the  old  mission 
days  that  tliis  Society  ought  to  gather  together,  and  the  coming  genera- 
tiona  will  never  cease  to  censure  us  for  neglecting  this  most  important  and 
interesting  field.  I  am  persuade<l  that  the  future  will  regard  this  period 
of  our  existence  as  a  society  a  blank  failure  if  we  fail  to  procure  a  large 
collection  of  such  material.  ^][  uch  of  this  material  is  going  to  decay,  and 
while  it  is  of  little  value  today  and  is  lightly  prized  yet  in  the  coming 
centuries  it  will  form  the  most  valuable  part  of  any  collection  we  may  be 
able  to  leave. 

These  are  only  a  few  of  the  items  of  interest  that  we  should  ia^-esti- 
gate.  Many  others,  of  equal  or  more  importance,  will  suggest  them- 
selves to  all  of  you.  So  there  seems  to  be  no  reasonable  limit  to  the 
work  that  lies  before  us,  aud  this  work  is  all  of  a  local  character,  that 
we  must  do.  if  it  is  done  at  all.  If  we  will  gi^-e  these  subjects  the  atten- 
tion their  importance  demands,  we  shall  uol  only  lie  able  to  collect  a 
numlter  of  rare  and  valuable  records  and  specimens,  but,  in  the  mean- 
time, wc  shall  interest  .scores  of  people  in  our  work  who  today  know 
nothing  about  us. 

Thus  we  will  strengthen  our  Society  for   the  present  and  hasten  the 
uch  talked  of  and  long  looked  for  and   anxiously  anticipated  day  when 

will  have  a  building  of  our  own  in   which   to  keep  our  material,  and 
uch  valuable  material  awaits   us   that   we  never  will  have  until  we  do 
have  a  secure  place  in  which  to  preser\-e  it. 


PRESIDENT'S   INAUGURAL    ADDRESS.  9 

When  we  have  a  home  of  our  own  and  have  collected  this  material 
that  is  awaiting  us,  we  will  be  fulfilling  the  mission  of  onr  Society  and 
making  it  an  institution  of  great  value  for  the  future,  when  others  shall 
come  on  the  scene  to  gather  the  harvest  where  we  have  thus  sown. 


la        HISTORICAL    SOCIETY    OF    SOUTHERN   CAUFORNIA, 


I 

1 


these  attractive  new  species.  Beside*  new  forms,  the  provenance 
ididbt  presumed  to  have  been  "ad\'cntilious"  in  our  hay  have  been  ver- 
ified, and,  a  large  number  of  mtcrosco[Hc  slwlls  not  before  known  north 
of  Lower  Califoniia,  have  lieeii  C4)I!ectc<l  in  sufficient  quantities  to  leave 
DO  doubt  as  to  their  i)ro\'Cnaiicc  in  San  Pedro  Bay.  Shells  new  to  our 
fauna  are  continually  being  collected.  These  represent  no  small  degree 
of  activity  in  our  hx^l  collectors.  M 

San  Pedro  Bay  and  the  "Points"  of   the    "Palos    Verdea  Hills,"^ 
might  be  called  ideal  collecting  ground,  because  shelving    rocVs,  foA 
pools,  mud  flats,  and  sand  flats,  fnmLih  a    variety    of   shells,    hut  the 
force  of  the  heavy  breakers  as  they  come  ashore  keeps  one  on  the  alert 
when  collecting,  f 

I  have  Ijeen  speaking  of  recent  shells,  hut,  in  the  hhiffs  at  Sen  Pe- 
dro, shelhi  are  collected  that  belong  to  theQuarternary  or  Post  Pliocene  _ 
formation,  and  the  same  geological  period  is  also  represented  on  the^ 
Httle  Island  in  the  Bay  known  as  Deadraan's  Isbnd.  And,  alsoonthls 
island,  at  the  base,  shells  of  the  Pliocene  are  dug  out  of  the  soft  rock, 
while  a  few,  probably  from  a  more  distant  period,  are  obtained  from 
rocks  that  stand  upright  near  the  hose  of  the  little  promontory.  These 
shells  require  the  aid  of  a  geologist's  hammer  before  they  are  dislodged 
from  their  ancient  home. 

In  the  Spring  of  1892,  the  I^s  Angeles  County  collectors  bad  the 
great  pleasure  of  collectinc  some  of  these  fossils  in  comjjany  with  Dr. 
Wm.  Dall,  of  the  National  Museum,  who  spent  some  time  in  visiting 
the  various  collecting  grounds  of  the  West  Coast.  Dr.  R.  E.  C. 
Stearns  also  visited  Los  Angeles  County  the  same  Spring.  The  pres- 
ence of  these  kindly  gentlemen  will  always  be  pleasantly  remembered 
by  all  collectors  who  have  had  the  good  fortune  to  meet  them.  If  the 
Los  Angeles  County  collectors  have  done  welt,  much  credit  is  due  to  _ 
the  kind  courtesy  and  encoBragcment  always  extended  towards  thea^ 
by  the  conciiologists  of  the  National  Museum.  Shells  of  the  Pliocene 
beds  were  also  collected  on  Orange  street  in  Los  Angeles  City.  When 
the  ground  was  excavated  for  Mr,  Shatto's  new  home  on  Orange  street. 
Uie  top  of  the  hill  was  leveled  off,  and  at  a  distance  of  30  feci  from  the 
summit,  a  number  of  casts  of  bivalves  were  found.  Most  of  these  had 
been  removed  before  I  visited  the  .spot.  Mr.  Shatto  said:  "Sometiwca 
two  or  lliree  barrels  of  these  casts  were  excavated  from  a  seuu,  th 
more  digging  would  be  carried  on  without  any  atmeannoe  ai  .rtli: 
until  another  seam  was  reached."  These  she!' 
Qyprkardia  Pedroana  Conrad=/V/n( 

The  artistic  beauty  of  a  shell    aiki 
home,  and  covering,  of  a   little    :uii 
While  study  enhances  one's  apprc 


CQNCHQLOCICAL  /tESEA/iCHES  /JV  SAA  PEDRO  BAV. 


ti 


in  +tBulleiins,  issued  by  the  U.  S.  National  Muaemn.  These 
BttUctiiis  were  by  Dr.  Wm.  Hcalcy  Dall.*  Curator  of  the  Department 
of  MoUusks.  of  the  U.  S.  Xm.  Mus.,  who  had,  himself,  dredged  exten- 
sively in  aud  around  Catalina  Island  in  1873.  thereby  adding  a  number 
of  species  lo  its  fauna;  the  other  IlulietiTi  was  the  work  of  Dr.  R.  E.  C. 
Steams,  adjunct  curator  of  the  Department  of  Mollusks.  Most  of  the 
shells  listed  were  new.  In  August.  1892.  ihe  Xational  Museum  of  the 
Smithsonian  [nstitution,  published,  "An  Annotated  List  of  the  Shells  of 
San  Pedro  Bay  and  Vtcinityt."  A  description  of  two  new  species  of 
shells  by  Dr.  Wm.  H.  Dall  were  includeil  in  this  Bulletin.  A  manuscript 
'list  of  the  fossil  shells  collected  during  the  same  time  was  not  published. 
While  San  Pedro  Bay  was  formerly  known  as  the  habitat  of  several 
species  of  dull  colored  Trochtds.  and  also,  otlier  raoilu.sks,  yet.  it  did 
oot  rauk  liigh  as  a  collecting  ground  for  beach  shells  when  compared 
with  San  Diego,  Monterey,  and  Vancouver  Bays.  But,  its  shell  fauna 
had  never  been  collected  and  studied  by  local  collectors.  During  the 
past  four  or  fi\*e  years,  a  few  enthusiastic  shell  lovers  ha\'e  met  with 
results  that  have  surprised  scientists  interested  in  the  geographical  dis- 
tribution of  moltusca  The  labors  and  kind  co-operation  of  these  Los 
Angeles  County  collectors  made  it  possible  to  compile  a  complete  list  of 
San  Pedro  shells,  at  the  time  of  publication.  Thanks  are  due  to  Miss 
Shepard.  Muw  Monks,  Mrs.  Trowbridge  and  Mr.  I>elos  Arnold.  Other 
collectors  also  found  interesting  forms.  Shells  new  to  science  were  col- 
lected in  the  bay.  Onr  new  species,  Peripioma  discus  was  named^  dear 
cribcd  and  figured  by  Dr.  R.  E.  C.  Steams  in  bis  Bulletin  on  "West 
American  Shells* ',  referred  to  in  this  paper,  and  another  new  shell, 
TfMina  Uat,  named  and  described  by  Dr.  Dall  in  his  pamphlet  on  "New 
W.  American  Shells,"  also  alluded  lo  in  this  paper.  In  the  San  Pedro 
list.  Dr.  Dall  named  atwther  new  shell  found  at  San  Pedro,  yilrmelia 
WUiianisom.  To  the  activity  of  Mcsdamcs  Shepard  and  Trowbridge, 
the  credit  is  due  of  having  apprised  the  conchological  world   of  two  of 


ttWeUmioaiT  Report  on  the  CoUectioa  of  MoUuacft.  and  Brachiu)Nj<U  Obtaiitrd 
m  l887-'8S by  William  Healey  Dall.  (Proc.  U.  S.  Nat.  Miu..  No.  773.)  Dcsciip- 
tions  of  New  West  Amcricaii  Lutid,  Fresh  Wuter  aod  Marine  Shells,  witli  notes  and 
coiumcnls  by  Robert  B.  C.  Sieartis,  (Proc.  U.  S.  Nat.  Mus.,  Ni>.  S13.)  On  Some 
New  DT  I  nteivstiiig  West  Amerioin  Shells  Obtained  Crom  the  Dredging  of  the  IT.  S, 
Flail  Commiaiion  .Steamer  Albfttro^K  in  iBSS,  and  front  other  Mutces,  fay  Wm.  H. 
Datt.  (I'roc.  U.  S,  Nat.  Mus.,  No.  849-> 

*Dr.  Dall  and  liiii  4:olLaboratora  will  in  the  near  future  give  as  a  work  on  the 
monusca  of  the  West  Coast,  this  U,  lo  all  collector*,  a  pieaaing  waoL 

T All  Annotated  List  of  the  SbeU«  of  San  Pedro  Bay  and  Vicinitjr,  by  Mrm.  M. 
Burton  WUliamaoa,  with  a  descripuou  of  two  new  Species,  by  W.  H.  DaU.  (Ptoc. 
U.S.  Nat.  Mna..  No.  898.) 


HISTORICAL    SOCIETY    OF    SOUTHERN   CALIFORNIA. 

On  April  26.  i«92.  three  hundred  pounds  of  "spat"  or  seed  o>-ster 
were  recei^-cd  and  planted  at  AlamitDS  Bay,  four  miles  di-itant  from  the 
Loni;  Beach  Park,  and  at  the  mouth  of  New  River.  The  seed  were 
from  Baltitnure,  beiuf;  the  York  river  varietj*.  They  are  iJresuinably 
the  Eastern  oyster  known  as  Ostrea  yirginica,  and  thosse  at  I^oiig  Beach 
are  said  to  be  from  seed  *'as  fine  as  any  Eastern  oyster."  Mr.  John 
McCar\Hn.  the  Vice-President  of  the  company,  to  whom  I  am  indehteil 
for  data,  says:  "The  few  we  have  (Nov.  24,  '93. )  arc  of  good  markelable 
tazc.  but.  as  they  are  multiplying,  we  would  not  di.spose  of  any  until  our 
grounds  are  stocked.  We  wil!  make  a  large  planting  next  March." 
He  does  not  expect  to  Ijegin  to  market  the  oyster  for  two  years. 

I^he  Kastem  oysters  were  planted  in  the  same  waters  and  in  close 
proximity  to  our  nati%'e  oysters.  Mr.  Mpr.ar\'in  says  the  company  has 
had  no  serious  troulile  with  the  latter,  nor  with  Nassa  and  other  camiv- 
orouK  shell  fish. 

As  this  is  said  to  lie  the  first  attempt  in  Southern  Califomifl  to  intro- 
duce the  Eastern  oyster  for  culture,  it  is  a  cause  for  congratulation, 
especially  when  scientists  are  becoming  alarmed  at  the  depletion  of  the 
Eastern  oyster  beds.  President  Daniel  C.  Gilman  of  the  Johns  Hopkins 
Universit}",  ^\Titi^g  in  1891,  of  the  danger  of  an  oyster  famine  in  Marj-- 
Innd,  enumerates  the  trades  and  industrict  that  would  suffer  in  case  of  an 
oy-sler  famine  in  that  Stale:  "It  is  not  only  the  dredgers,  the  dealers,  the 
shuckcrs,  the  packers,  the  coopers,  the  tinners  .md  the  carriers,  but 
everybody  in  Mar>'land  would  suffer  more  or  less."  This  gi\*es  us  some 
idea  of  the  commercial  \*alue  of  oyster  beds.  In  a  recent  number  of  The 
Popular  ScUncr.  fMontlily  (November,  '93,)  a  writer  says:  "In  the  pres- 
ent conditions  an  oyster  famine  is  not  far  away  nor  an  impossible  coutin- 
gency.  We  have  been  large  consumers  of  oysters,  and  we  did  not  sow 
where  we  have  reaped." 

In  the  light  of  such  a  revelation  of  the  natural  oyster  beds  of  the 
United  States,  an  industrj*  tending  to  counteract  such  a  depletion  should 
be  encouraged,  especially  upon  the  coast  of  Southern  Califoniia,  where 
the  native  products  are  inferior  in  quality. 

University,  I*os  Angeles  Co.,  Cal.,  Dec.  la,  1893. 

*  •  *  * 

As  a  year  has  elapsed  since  this  report  was  written  for  our  Historical 
Society,  it  is  necessary  that  later  data  be  added  iu  regard  to  the  oyster 
industrj'  in  Los  Angeles  county.  In  a  letter  received  from  Mr.  McGar- 
v\\\.  dated  Dec.  13,  1894.  be  .says  the  oysters  of  Alamitas  Bay  are  equally 
large  as  those  of  the  same  age  raised  in  the  East.  The  oyster  ground 
now  emiiracc-s  the  whole  of  Alamitos  and  Anaheim  Bays.  The  outlook 
is  \'ery  hoiwfnl   for    this   iudu.stry.     No  star    fl^h   nor  cami\'orous  shell 


CONCHQLOGiCAL  tiESkARCHES  tN  SAN  PEDKO  BA  Y. 


»5 


fisli  ha\'c  been  detected  among  the  oyster  beds.  The  oyster  company 
bad  one  (.■arload  of  oyster  seed  shipped  from  the  East  that  were  nearly  all 
dead  when  they  arrived.  This  mil  set  the  industry  back,  as  the  oysters 
now  ill  the  iMiys  eannnt  be  marketed  but  must  be  reser\"ed  for  pn»p- 
E^'flgation. 

Mr.  McGarvin  says  as  a  proof  of  the  con6deuce  the  company  have 
in  the  ultimate  success  of  the  local  o)*sier  industry,  that  none  of  the  stodc 
has  Iwen  sold,  although  many  are  desirous  of  purchasing. 

It  is  possible  that  the  shipment  of  carloads  of  Eastern  oysters  may 
5ult  in  also  planting  the  fry  of  other  shell  fish  from  the  East  in  San 
'Pedro  Bay.  tAfvJ  arettaria  L.  and  Urosulpinx  cinerea  are  now  propagat- 
ing in  San  Francisco  Bay  as  the  result  of  the  introduction  of  Eastern 
oysters  in  that  hay.  Ixical  shell  collectors  will  do  well  to  be  on  the  alert 
for  Eastern  forms  that  may  appear  in  San  Pedro  Bay. 

The  laws  of  California  are  encouraging  in  regard  to  the  culti^'ation 
ef  oysters.  A  copy  of  these  laws  will  be  found  in  "Oyster  Resources  of 
the  Pacific  Coast,"  by  Charles  H.  Town.scnd.  publLshcd  by  the  IT.  S. 
Commissioner  of  Fish  and  Fisheries. 

The  activity  of  local  coachologjsts  has  not  abated  during  the  year 
1894.  A  new  Chitou  Erom  the  channel  off  San  Pedro  has  been  reported 
upon.*  Mr.  T.  S.  Oldroyd  obtained  this  Chiton  "fTom  a  stone  pulled 
up  from  about  seventj'-five  fathoms."  It  is  called  UpuiopUurus  percras- 
sus  (Dall)  and  Dr.  Dall  says  of  this  new  form,  for  which  he  has  pro- 
a  new  section,  that  it  "is  very  remarkable."  It  is  probable  that 
other  new  shells  have  been  collected  in  San  Pedro  Bay  this  year,  but  as 
they  have  not  been  named  and  desmbed,  further  particulars  arc  needed 
for  confirmation.  (I  have  Miss  Shepard's  authority  in  regard  to  the 
,  probability  of  new  shells  found  in  San  Pedro  Bay.)  Shells  new  lo  this 
locality  are  collected  each  year. 

Dec.  31,  i8^ 

*See  TAf  Nautilus  fgr  December,  1894,  page  90,  for  n  <l«cH{>tioii  of  this  «hc1I. 


CALIFORNIA  FIFTY  YEARS  AGO. 


BV  J.    M.    GUINN. 


I 


fRead  Ma;  t,  1893.] 

Among  tbe  recent  valuable  accessions  to  otir  Historical  Societys 
collections  (the  gift  of  Dr.  W.  F.  PMgar)  is  a  copy  of  "Mitchell's  New 
Map  of  Texas.  Oregon  aud  California,  With  the  Regions  Adjoining,  pub- 
lished  in  1845." 

The  chid'  authorities  from  which  the  map  is  compiled,  the  author 
telb  us,  are  the  Congressional  Map  of  Texas  (1844),  Ward's  Map  of 
Mexico,  Fremont's  Map  of  His  Explorations  in  Oregon.  California,  etc.. 
in  184.2,  1843,  1844  (our  Society  has  a  copy  of  this  map,  also  the  gift  of 
Dr.  Edgar),  Map  of  I^wis  and  Clarke's  Tour,  Major  I^ong's  Tour  to  the 
Rocky  Mountains,  and  Other  Authorities.  Accompanying  this  pocket 
map  is  a  guide  book  of  forty  pages,  descriptive  of  the  countries  deline- 
ated on  the  map,  and  of  the  customs  and  halMts  of  their  inhabitants. 
The  information  given  in  this  guide  was  no  doubt  new  to  the  men  and 
women  of  fifty  years  ago.  Some  of  it  \\nll  be  new  and  rather  surprisiug 
to  the  people  of  today. 

The  map  sliows,  or  claims  to  show,  the  boundaries  of  Upper  Califor- 
nia when  it  was  a  Mexican  territor>'.  The  author  of  the  guide  informs 
us  that  "this  part  of  Mexico  became  indepaident  in  1845."  He  says: 
*'It  lias  of  late  attracted  much  attention  in  the  United  States;  a  number 
of  American  citijKns  are  already  settled  in  it  and  many  others  are  pre- 
paring to  emigrate  thither." 

"It  extends,"  he  tells  us,  "from  the  Pacific  Ocean  to  the  Anahuac 
Mountains,  and  from  the  42*  of  N.  lat.  to  the  head  of  the  Gulf  of  Calt- 
fomia.  On  the  north,  it  is  bounded  by  Oregon,  011  the  south  by  Old 
California  (or  Lower  Cahfomia)  aud  the  province  of  Sonora.  Its  extent 
from  north  to  south  is  about  700  miles,  and  from  ea.st  to  west  from  600 
to  800  miles,  «-ith  an  area  of  about  420,000  square  miles. 

"The  largc-st  river  of  Upper  California  is  the  Colorado  or  Red  Ri\'er, 
so  called  from  the  color  of  its  waters.  It  flows  through  a  region  almost 
unknown. 

"The  chief  mountains  on  the  eastern  frontier  of  California  are 
Sierra  Anahuac,  the  Sierra  I,os  Mimbres  and   the  Sierra  Madre. 


CAUFOHNJA  FIFTY  YEAKS  AGO, 


a  coolinuoua  chain,  and  are  part  of  the  great  Rocky  Mountain 
Fnuge,  and  sepanite  the  waters  of  the  Colorado  from  those  of  the  Rio 
Grande  del  Norte.  The  highest  peaks  of  the  Coast  Range."  £o  our  au- 
thor tells  us.  '  'are  San  Beruardiu  in  the  south  and  Mount  Shasta  in  the 
north.     These  are  atways  covere<l  with  snow. 

"The  kirgest  lakes  of  Tipper  California  are  the  great  Salt  Lake,  near 

its  N.  E.  extremity,  and   tlie  Utah,  a  smaller   fresh  water   lake   which 

flows  into  the  former  from  the  south.     These  two  lakes,"  sa>'s  our  guide 

book,  "are  doubtless  the  'Hmpaaogos  and  Buenaventura  1-^kes  of  cheold 

l£pauish  maps,  hut  they  are  uow,  for  the  first  time,  correctly  portrayed  by 

|Capt.  Fremont  on  the  map  of  his  late  explorations. 

"Nearly  the  whole  of  the  central  port  of  this  region  (Upper  Califor- 
nia), extending  from  400  to  500  miles  from  uorth  to  south,  and  about  the 
same  from  east  to  west,  is  unexplored.  It  is  called  the  Great  Interior 
1  Basin  of  California,  and  is  enclosed  on  the  west  by  the  Sierra  Nevada, 
[and  on  the  east  by  the  Bear  River  and  Wahsatch  Mountains.  It  is 
'inhabited  by  wandering  tribes  of  Indians  called  Diggers. 

'  "The  wealth  of  California  consists  of  live  stock.  The  chief  articles 
of  export  are  hides  and  tallow;  about  150.000  of  the  former  and  200,000 
arrobas  ol  the  latter  are  e.K[M)rted  annually.  About  3000  beaver,  3000 
elk  ond  deer,  and  4.00  to  500  sea  otter  skins,  the  latter  worth  $30  apiece, 
are  also  exported;  besides  which  about  12,000  bushels  of  wheat  are 
shipped  aimually  to  the  Russian  settlements  on  the  Northwest  Coast, 

"The  niunber  of  aborigines  is  estimated  at  15.000.  One-half  ot 
these  are  converted  Indians;  the  remainder  reside  mostly  on  the  Sacra- 
mento River.  The  whites  are  estimated  at  about  5000,  with  2000  more 
of  mixed  blood:  making  the  whole  population  of  Upper  California  about 
Z2,ooo  souls." 

Even  at  that  early  day  onr  climate  got  a  puff.     Our  author  says: 

"The  health  and  robustness  of  the  white  inhabit-mts  seems  remark- 
able and  must  be  .attributable  to  the  tine  climate  as  well  as  to  their  sim- 
ple diet.  This  consists  of  beef  roasted  upon  the  coals,  a  few  vegetables, 
and  the  tortilla,  which  is  a  thin  cake  made  of  com  meal  and  baked  upon 
:«  sheet  of  iron.  Throughout  the  country,  lx)th  with  the  rich  and  poor, 
this  is  the  general  fare.  The  children  are  for  the  mast  part  left  to  take 
care  of  themselves.  They  are  generally  robust  and  their  relative  ntun- 
bers  seem  to  >je  great.  It  is  b>-  no  means  uncommon  to  see  famihes  of 
fotirteen  or  5fteeu  children.  A  large  number  die  from  accidental  falls 
from  hor=es,  with  which,  from  their  earliest  childhood,  they  are  accus- 
tomed to  be  engaged.  TIil-v  early  l)Ccorae  exi>ert  and  fearless  riders, 
and  this  skill  is  not  confined  altogether  to  the  male  sex;  the  women  are 
almost  cquHHy  expert.  Families  with  numerous  members  are  seldom 
met  with  who  have  not  had  to  mourn  the  loss  of  several  of  their  num- 
ber from  casualties  of  ibis  sort." 


I 


mSTOfUCAL    SOCiETY   OF    SOUTHERS   CAUFORNtA. 

In  marked  contrast  to  the  bnTvdo  and  coirardice  of  Flores  stands 
out  the  brai-eiy  and  courage  of  Gen.  Andrea  Pko.  ^\'ith  a  haodfnl  of 
undisciplined  lancers  he  met  Kjeamcy's  regulars  at  San  Pasqual  and 
worsted  them.  At  Paso  de  Baitola  and  I^  Men  be  did  his  b»t.  whh 
such  force  as  fae  bad.  to  stay  the  march  of  the  mvader.  When  all  was 
lobt,  he  surrendered  hoaorahty  to  Fremont,  af^  having  secnnd  advao- 
tageous  terms  for  bis  coantnincn. 

When  the  Sute  of  Califomia  was  in  the  EonnatiTe  stages,  the  most 
importAnt  question  before  the  Coastittttional  Convention  of  1849  was  tbe 
fixing  of  the  boundaries.  Sliiwr>-  was  the  goblin  that  a&ighted  the 
constitution  makers.  For  a  time,  daring  their  seasion,  it  did  look  to  the 
free  Slate  people  of  Califomia  as  if  the  "Gobelins  will  git  you'"  Gwio, 
tbe  Macchiavellj  of  California  politics,  led  the  pro-slavery  forces.  The 
free  state  delegates  were  slightly  in  the  majority  in  tbe  convention.  The 
adoption  of  a  constitution  with  a  pro-slu\-eT>'  clause  in  it  was  next  to  an 
hnpo6sibiUt>-  iu  tbe  convention,  and  e\-eu  if  possible  in  tbe  coD\-entioa, 
would  have  been  deiieated  by  the  people  of  the  State.  Tbe  scheme  of 
Gwin  and  bis  associates  was  to  adopt  the  bonndaiies  as  fixed  by  Spain  in 
176S  and  afterwards  adopted  by  Mexko.  Gwin's  resolution,  making 
tbe  Rocky  >tauntain.s  the  eastern  boundar>-,  was  adopted  early  in  tbe 
session.  It  u-as  only  in  the  closing  days  of  the  convention  that  tbe  free 
state  men  discm-ered  Gwin's  scheme.  Nomeraus  substitutes  were  of- 
bred.  It  was  by  a  m^jo^ity  of  two  that  tbe  Roc^y  Muuutaiii  boundary 
was  defeated. 

Gwin's  scheme  was  to  earn'  the  tight  for  the  lormatioo  of  a  ^ve 
slate  on  tbe  Pacillc  into  Congress.  At  that  time  there  were  jnst  fifteen 
free  and  nftecu  s1ii\t  sutL-s  in  the  Union.  The  antagonistic  sectioiis 
were  nearly  equally  divided  in  Coagresa.  Gwin  and  his  pro-slavery 
sociates  rea.soued  that  the  Sonthern  representatives  in  Congress  would 
oppose  the  ftdmis.'^ian  of  so  lage  an  area  of  country  in  one  state  under  a 
free  state  constitution,  and  that  ultimately  a  compromise  would  be  ef* 
fected.  CftltfomiH  would  be  split  in  two  from  east  to  west:  tbe  old 
di^'iding  line,  the  parallel  of  36*  30'  would  be  established  and  Southern 
Califomia  wouhl  come  into  the  Union  as  a  sla^T  state.  Those  who  are 
today  advocating  the  dismemberment  of  onr  noble  State  and  tlie  forma- 
tioo  of  two  cammonwealtK.4  cannot  refer  with  ^•eT5•  ranch  pride  to  the 
origin  of  the  scheme  for  Stttte  diwion. 

The  official  map  used  by  the  Con«itutional  Convention  in  deter- 
mining the  Hmits  of  Califomln  was  Fremont's  may  of  Oregon  and 
Upper  Caliibmia,  drawn  by  Charles  Pniess  ami  published  by  order  of 
the  \-V  ''c^  .Senate.     This  m.ip  was  no   donbt     fanlty.        Halleck 

.X  Mexican  arv-hivts  that  the  lUviding  line  between  Upper 


CALIFORNIA  FIFTY  YEARS  AGO. 


J9 


The  Great  S]>:iniiifa  trail  from  Pueblo  de  Los  Angeles  to  Santa  Fe  is 
laid  clown  on  the  map,  It  is  represented  as  bending  rapidly  north-east- 
ward from  Los  Angeles  nnlil  it  strikes  the  Rio  Virgin.  It  follows  that 
stream  to  its  head  waters,  crosses  the  Wahsatrh  Mountains  in  L'tah, 
then,  bending  s<.>utheastorly.  it  reaches  Santa  Fi-,  which  our  map  maker 
locates  in  Western  Texas.  The  Panhandle  of  Texas,  according  to  our 
map  maker,  extends  northward  to  the  southern  boundary  of  Oregon. 
Oregon  extends  northward  to  54°  40'  and  eastward  to  the  Rocky  Mount- 
ains. Iowa  Territorj*  extends  from  the  north  line  of  Missouri  to  British 
America  and  from  the  MississipiH  River  on  the  east  to  the  Missouri  on 
the  west. 

According  to  this  map,  Alta  California  had  at  lea.st  fiftj'  miles  of 
coast  on  the  Kasteni  side  of  the  Gulf  of  California.  Had  the  lx>undary 
line,  as  here  laid  down,  tietween  the  Mexican  States  of  Sonora  and  Cal- 
ifomia,  been  established  by  the  treaty  of  Guadalupe  Hidalgo,  our  Ari- 
zona neighbors  would  now  have  what  tlie  are  longing  for,  a  port  on  the 
Gulf. 

Out  of  what  was  the  Mexican  territory  of  Alta  California,  there 
has  been  car\*ed  all  of  California,  all  of  Nevada,  Utah,  and  Arizona, 
and  part  of  New  Mexico.  Colorado,  and  Wyoming.  It  was  a  magnifi- 
cent domain,  S.to  miles  from  east  to  west,  and  700  from  north  to  muth. 
Such  was  Alta  California  in  1846,  when  the  foot  of  the  foreign  ini*ader 
first  trod  its  soil.  An  empire  in  area,  a  terra  incognita — an  unknown 
land-^to  the  eastern  world.  Vaster  in  extent  than  the  thirteen  original 
states  of  the  Union,  with  Tennessee.  Kentucky,  and  Ohio  added. 
Greater  in  area  than  France,  Spaiu,  Portugal,  and  England  combined. 

Such  was  California  under  the  Mexican  domination,  when  Pico, 
the  last  of  the  Mexican  Governors,  hurled  his  final  pronunciamcnto 
against  the  ruthless  invaders  and  proclaimed  that  between  ignominy  and 
emigration,  "I  prefer  the  latter,"  and  then  emigrated.  Such  was  Cal- 
*lbmia  when  Flores,  Commaudante  of  the  Califonjian  armies  heaped, 
pby  proclaraatiou.  denunciations  upon  that  insignificant  force  of  ad- 
venturers from  the  U.  S.  of  the  North,  and  attempted  to  fire  the  Mex- 
in  heart  with  his  turgid  rhetoric— "and  shall  we  allow  ourselves  to 
subjiiga*?d  an-d  accept  by  our  silence  the  weight>'  chains  of  slaver>'? 
Shall  we  permit  to  be  lost  the  soil  inherited  from  oar  fotbers.  which 
cost  them  so  m  uch  blood  and  so  many  sarifices?  Shall  we  wait  to  see 
our  nmocent  cliildrea  punished  by  American  whips,  our  property 
sacked. — our  temples  profaned.*  No!  a  thousand  time  Nol  Country- 
men, death  first'" — exclaimed  this  Patrick  Henry  of  Mexico,  and  then 
lik^  his  illustrious  comjwcr  of  our  Revolution.  Patrick  Heury  of  Vir- 
ginia, be  took  good  care  to  keep  away  from  death.  >\Tien  the  test  came, 
Flores  preferred  death  la.st;  abandoned  his  army  and  his  countrymen  to 
tlieir  fate  and  fled  to  Sonora. 


CHINESE  fflASSACRE  AT  L05  ANGELES  IN  1871. 


BY   C.    V.    liORUkKD. 


[Read  January  7,  1894] 

The  history  of  the  Chinese  massacre  that  occinred  in  this  city  on 
tjie  night  of  October  24,  1S71,  is  a  recital  of  one  of  the  most  bloody  and 
barbarous  tragedies  in  the  annals  of  this  State.  The  tronble  originated 
among  the  Chinese  themselves.  Yo  Hing  was  the  leader  of  one  faction 
and  and  Sam  Yeun  of  another.  The  cause  of  the  outbreak  in  the  begin- 
ning was  the  possession  of  a  Chinese  woman  named  Va  Hit.  young  and 
attractive,  and  from  a  Chinese  estimate  of  female  worth,  of  the  financial 
value  of  $2500.  This  woman  was  stolen,  or  had  rtm  away,  from  her 
owner  and  had  come  into  the  possession  of  the  rival  company.  Her  [ 
owners,  to  regain  possession  of  their  lost  chattel,  brought  into  re»]uisi- 
tion  the  power  of  the  law,  and  the  help  of  the  courts  and  its  officers,  by 
causing  a  warrant  to  be  issued  for  the  arrest  of  the  woman  on  the 
charge  of  larceny  of  jewelr>'.  Ya  Hit  was  brought  into  court,  and  bail 
having  Ijeen  fixed  for  her  appearance  when  needed,  she  was  bailed  out 
by  Sam  Yeun's  company,  who  took  possession  of  the  chattel.  Thus  Vo  fl 
Hing  and  his  company  tailed  to  obtain  possession  of  their  stolen  woman 
and  were  defeated  in  the  attempted  reco\-ery. 

Vo  Hing  was  a  weU-toKlo  merchant  of  wide  repute  and  of  great  au-  fl 
thority  among  his  countrymen,  Iieing  agent  of  one  of  the  great  Chinese 
companies  in  this  city.      He  was  a  man  who  in  ever>*  way  sustained  the 
national  reputation  of  his  race  for  ways  that  are  dark — having    regard  ■ 
for  neither  the  habeas  corpus  of  court-*,  the  statutes  of  the  state,    the 
marital  rights  of  his  neighbors,  nor.  apparently,  the  hideous  and  austere 
countenance  of  e\-en  the  ^reat  Joss,  he  communed  within  himself  as  to 
how    he    might   compass  his  oiiemy,    obt.iin  lawful    possession    of  the' 
woman,  thwart  the  decision  of  the  court  and  bring  the  influence  of  the , 
law  and  its  officers  to  sustain  bis  side  of  the  case.     The  scheme   he  de- 
vised was  in  keeping  with  the  character  of  the  man.     He  persuaded   the' 
woman  to  secretly  marry  him  and  then,  coming  into  lawful  pos.ses.sion  of  j 
ber,  he  had  tlie  law  and  the  sanctity  of  the  marriage   rite   to  strengthen 
his  title.     The  company  that  had  thus  lost  the  woman   immediately  of- 
fered a  reward  of  $1000  for  the  scalp  of  Yo   Hing.     War  was  at   once 
declared  between  the  rival  companies. 


CH/iVESE  MASSAC/tK  AT  LOS  AJVUEU::>  /JVrSfrr 


aj 


On  Monday  morning.  October  23,1871,31  9:30,  as  Yo  Hiug  was 
passing  along  "Nigger  Ane>-."  two  shots  were  fired  at  him  from  a 
Chinese  store.  He  immediately  swore  out  a  warrant  and  bad  Ah  CLoy 
(a  brother  of  the  woman)  and  Lee  Tak  arrested,  and  they  iu  turn  had  Yo 
Hing  arrested.  All  were  bailed  out.  They  returned  to  Chinatown  and 
preparations  for  an  open  conflict  between  the  two  companies  were  ))egun. 
All  during  that  and  the  next  day  the  work  of  preparation  went  on. 
Few  Chinamen  were  on  the  street.  Threats  and  warnings  were  heanl 
on  e^Try  hand.  Kvery  raau  of  the  hostile  factions  was  heavily  armed. 
The  officers  of  the  law  were  warned  by  well-disposed  Chinamen  that 
trouble  was  impending. 

At  5:30  p.m.  Tuesday,  the  24th.  as  Police  Officer  Bilderrain  was 
near  Chinatown,  he  heard  shooting  and  immediately  started  for  the 
scene  of  con aict.  As  he  approached  the  Chinese  quarters  a  Chinaman 
fired  at  him.  Finding  himself  unable  to  quell  the  disturbance,  he  called 
for  help.  SepuU-eda  and  Estahan  Sanchez  came  to  his  aid.  Ah  Choy 
stood  at  the  porch  in  front  of  the  Coronel  Block  and  emptied  hts  pi.<!tol 
at  the  crowd,  which  by  this  time  was  gathering.  One  old  man  when 
told  to  get  inside  the  house,  pulled  his  pistol  and  emptied  its  contents  at 
the  crowd  indiscriminately.  Robert  Thompson,  an  old  resident  of  the 
cit>*.  was  among  the  first  to  gain  the  porch  in  answer  to  the  cries  of  the 
police  for  help.  He  received  a  mortal  wound,  from  a  bullet  fired  through 
the  door  of  a  Chinese  store.  He  was  taken  to  Wollweber's  drug  store 
on  Main  Street,  %%-herc  he  died  an  hour  later.  After  some  twenty-five  or 
thirt>*  shots  had  been  fired,  it  was  discovered  that  Bilderrain  was  shot  in 
tlie  shoulder,  a  hoy  named  Juan  Jose  Mendible  was  shot  in  the  leg,  and 
a  man  by  the  name  of  Joe  wa.<i  shot  in  the  hip. 

The  Chinese  in  the  meantime  had  taken  refuge  in  a  long  adobe, 
with  massive  walls,  heavily  covered  witli  brea.  They  barricade<l  the 
doors  and  windows  and  prepared  for  battle.  The  news  of  the  fight  soon 
spread  througti  the  cit>-,  and  the  people  collected  and  surrounded  the 
building.  Don  Refugio  Botello,  armed  wHth  a  six-shooter,  first  ascended 
the  roof,  others  following,  when  holes  were  cut  through  the  brea,  and 
thej'  fired  into  the  interior  through  the  holes  thus  made. 

One  Chinaman  attempted  to  leave  the  besieged  building  and  escape 
across  the  street,  but  he  was  shot  down  before  half  way  over.  Another 
one  attempting  to  escape  into  Los  Angeles  Street,  was  captured  by  the 
crowd,  dragged  through  the  street  to  the  western  gate  of  Tomlinsoa'a 
corrall,  on  New  High  Street,  where  he  was  hanged.  afVer  a  <aecond  at- 
tempt,  the  rope  breaking  the  first  time. 

Several  propositions  were  made  to  hun»  the  building,  and  a  fire  broke 
out  in  two  or  three  places,  but  it  was  quickly  extinguished.  The  crowd 
by  this  time  bad  collected  on  the  comer  of  Commercial  and  Main  Streets, 


34 


HlSTOHlCAt.    SOCIETY    OF    SOUTHERN   CAUfOKMA. 


nnd  some  aH\'ise<l  one  thin^  antl  snme  another,  hut  there  was  no  leader 
lo  direct,  nor  officers  to  control.  It  was  Ihcn  reconinicmled  that  a  guard 
be  stationed  round  the  building  until  daylight  to  await  further  de\'elop- 
mentt,  hut  the  crowd  had  become  furious  and  uncontrollable,  and  disrc- 
(fnrded  all  expostidations  aud  entreaties  to  refrain  from   further  violence. 

AlKiut  9  o'clock  a  party  battered  in  the  easteni  end  of  the  building, 
and  with  hooting  and  yelling  and  firinii  of  pistol',  the  rioters  rushed  in 
and  found  linddted  in  corners  or  hidden  behind  boxM,  ei^ht  terror- 
Rtricken  Chinamen,  who,  in  vain,  pleaded  niteonslv  for  their  lives. 
They  were  violently  dragged  out  and  Inmed  over  to  the  infuriated 
moh.  One  was  killrd  by  draccring  him  o^'e^  the  stones  by  a  rope  around 
hi^  neck.  Three  were  hanced  to  a  wag<in  on  Los  Anceles  Street,  al- 
though they  were  more  dead  than  alive  from  beintr  beaten  and  kicked 
and  maniiled.  when  the>'  reached  the  place  of  execution.  Four  were 
likewise  hanf^ed  to  the  western  eatewav  of  Tomlinson'<i  corrall,  on  New 
High  Street.     Two  of  the  \-ictims  were  mere  hoys. 

f>nc  of  the  Mctims  wa.s  a  Chinese  doctor,  on  inoffensive  man,  re- 
ftpected  by  all  the  white  people  who  knew  him.  He  pleaded  in  E"Tlish 
and  in  Spanish,  for  his  life,  oflcring  his  captors  all  his  wealth,  some  *20oo 
or  M^^oo.  t*"t  in  ''oite  of  his  entrenties  he  wtw  hanged;  then  his  money 
wa.s  stolen,  and  one  of  his  fingers  cut  off,  to  obtain  the  rings  he  wore. 
The  diwtor'n  name  was  f^ne  Tung.  Tt  is  stated  that  several  other 
Chinamen  were  shot,  a  ninnher  fled  to  the  citii'  jnil  for  safirty.  and  many 
went  into  the  country, 

While  the  shooting  and  hanging  were  going  on.  theix-esand  robbers 
were  looting  the  Chinese  buildings.  Kver*'  room  in  the  block  wa«  thor- 
oughly rifled  and  r«n.sacked.  tnmks.  boxes  nnd  locked  receptacles  of  all 
kinds  were  broken  open  in  the  search  for  valuables.  One  merchant 
states  he  lost  ^14000  in  gtdd,  and  others  reported  lo-sses,  in  sums  var\*ing 
fipom  a  few  hundred  dollars,  to  9e%-eral  thousands.  It  is  variously  esti- 
mated that  the  loss  to  the  Chinese  in  money  was  from  Jjo-ooo  to 
$70,000. 

About  g;.<o  p.m.  Sheriff  Bums  atldtvssed  the  crowd  on  the  conwr 
of  Spring  and  Temple  Streets,  commanding  all  good  and  law-abiding 
rittzrits  to  follow  him  to  Chinatown,  whereupon  twenty-five  persons 
volunteered.  WTien  he  arrived  there  he  found  the  fiehting  had  ceased 
and  the  tnoh  had  already  commenced  to  disperse.  He  found  ten  men 
hanged  on  I.os  Angeles  Street,  some  to  a  wagon  and  some  to  an 
awning:  he  found  fire  more  at  Tomllnson*s  corral,  and  that  four  wer* 
shot  in  Nigger  Alley  and  tvro  were  wounded  and  had  been  taken  to  the 
city  jail,  Cuards  were  stationed  thmngh  Chinah^-n  and  aronnd  the 
inoipal  hulMings  ocnipied  hv  Chinamen, 


I 


I 
\ 


d 


CHINESE  MASSACRE  A  T  LOS  ANGELES  IN  iSji. 

The  following  appeared  ediiorially  in  the  Express  the  day  after  the 
riot: 

"All  the  dark  scenes  of  early  days  in  Los  Ang;eles  were  entirely 
eclipse<l  by  the  horrid  K-nching  affair  last  night,  in  which  some  twenty 
Chinamen  met  with  a  most  cruel  death,  many  of  whom  roust  have  been 
innocent  men. 

"That  the  Chinamen  who  engaged  in  the  affray  which  resulted  in 
the  death  of  Mr.  Thompson  and  the  wounding  of  Mr.  bitderrain,  aud 
also  the  one  who  is  rejjorted  to  have  fired  promiscuously  into  the  crowd 
on  Caswcl]  &  Ellis's  corner,  richly  deserve  hanging,  no  one  will  deny, 
but  the  horrible,  outrageous  and  cruel  manner  in  which  iunocent  men 
were  treated  at  the  hands  of  those  engaged  iu  the  lynching,  the  particu- 
lars of  which  are  too  sickening  and  heart-rending  to  publish,  is  con- 
demned by  every  decent  man." 

The  same  day  the  following  editorial  appeared  in  the  News: 

"Yesterday  the  chief  topic  of  cou\'ersation  was  the  terrible  tragedy 
of  Tuesday  night,  wherein  scenes  were  enacted  that  might  shame  the 
wandering  Apache,  who  makes  murder  a  trade  and  robl)ery  a  i)astime. 
The  universal  sentiment  among  those  who  value  the  fair  name  of  our 
city  is  one  of  nn<|nalified  condemnation. 

"It  is  some  consolation  to  know  that  not  a  man  of  any  respecta* 
bility  or  standing  in  the  community  took  any  port  in  the  murderous 
affray." 

Five  days  after  the  riot  the  coroner's  jury  reported  thai  nineteen 
persons  had  come  to  their  death  by  the  hands  of  a  mob,  on  the  night  of 
October  24,  1871.  The  names,  ages  and  occupations  of  the  deceased 
are  given.     This  report  is  still  on  file  in  the  Court  House  iu  this  city. 

Of  all  the  Chinamen  murdered,  it  is  not  believed  that  a  single  one 
of  them  was  in  any  way  implicated  in  the  shooting,  except  Ah  Choy. 
The  leaders,  Yo  Hiug  and  his  gang,  all  fled  to  the  cx>unlry  when  the 
6ght  first  commenced.  Sam  Veun  lived  to  bring  an  action  for  damages 
against  the  cit>-,  for  his  losses  ou  that  nighl,  but  failed  to  reco\-er,  be- 
cause be  was  implicated  iu  instigating  the  riot.  He  was  also  indicted  by 
the  grand  jury  for  the  murder  of  Robert  Thompson,  but,  after  a  lengthy 
trial,  the  jury  returned  a  verdict  of  not  guilty. 

In  the  following  month,  when  Judge  Sepuh'eda  charged  the  grand 
jury  concerning  the  riot,  he  used  the  following  language:  "Gentlemen, 
do  vour  whole  duty:  set  an  example  of  true  courage  in  the  performance 
of  your  duty;  be  faithful  to  your  trust.  In  this  way  only  can  you  sat- 
isfy an  offended  God,  violated  law,  and  outraged  humanity." 

After  a  prolonged  scfwion  the  grand  jury  made  an  exhaustive  report 
from  which  the  following  extracts  are  taken: 


HfSTORfCAL  sncr/rrv  of  southern  California. 


"We  find  that  a  feud  has  long  existed  between  the  Chinese  compa- 
nies in  this  city.  That  on  the  24th  day  of  October,  members  of  the  ri\Til 
companies,  having  proWded  themselves  with  arms,  met  in  a  public 
street  and  commenced  firing  at  one  another.  Their  shots  were  turned 
upon  two  policemen  and  their  assistants,  who  were  making  an  effort  to 
quell  the  tlisturbance.  In  this  effort  one  citizen  was  killed,  one  police 
officer  and  one  citizen  shot  and  wounded." 

"A  great  number  of  shots  were  fired  by  the  Cliine^  upon  the 
streets  and  from  the  doors  of  thetr  houses,  at  the  officers  and  others, 
who  hastened  to  the  officers'  aid,  The  confusion  created  a  panic  which 
opened  the  way  for  enl  doers,  and  in  the  excitement  that  fol- 
lowed, the  worst  elements  of  society  not  only  disKraced  civilization  by 
their  acts,  but  iu  their  sa\'a5je  treatment  of  unoffending  human  beings, 
their  eapemess  for  pillaije  and  blood thirstines*,  exceeded  the  most  h«r- 
barboTiH  races  of  men." 

"We  believe  we  should  be  wanting  in  our  duty  if  we  should  fail 
to  present  to  this  Court  the  painful  conclusion  to  which  we  are  forced, 
that  the  officers  of  this  county  as  well  as  of  this  city,  whase  duly  it  is 
to  preserve  the  peace  and  to  arrest  those  who  are  violating  the  law, 
were  deplorably  inefficient  in  the  performance  of  their  duty  during  the 
scenes  of  confusion  and  bloodshed  which  disgraced  our  city,  and  has 
cast  a  reproach  upon  the  people  of  I-os  Angeles  County. 

"Had  tbe.se  officers  performed  this  dnty,  this  erand  inry  would 
not  have  l»ccn  called  upon  to  devote  weeks  to  tbe  investigation  of  the 
matter,  nor  would  there  have  been  any  rioton-ii  acts  on  that  night  to 
stain  the  records  of  this  County." 

For  references  for  further  details,  see  Minute  Rook  11,  page  i65  of 
Criminal  Records  of  this  Count\'.  also  the  case  of  "The  People  vs.  T,. 
T.  Crenshaw,  et.  al."  46  California  Reports,  page  66.  also  47  California 
Reports,  page  532. 

This  is  but  a  brief  outline  of  the  story  of  that  awful  riot  that  has 
gone  down  in  hi.story  as  the  darkest  stain  upon  the  fair  name  of  Southern 
Catifomia. 

Among  all  the  records  and  from  all  the  testimony,  and  from  all 
sources.  1  ha\-e  not  found  one  voice  raised  in  defense  or  in  palliation  of 
the  terrible  crimes  of  that  night:  but  the  unanimous  voice  of  officials, 
writers,  newspaper  men,  coroners  and  grand  jury,  as  well  as  the  voice  of 
common  humanity,  has  been  that  of  unqualified  condemnation. 


THE  OWENS  VALLEY  EARTHQUAKE  OF  1873. 


BY   C.   «n.HOU-AMn, 


[R«ftd  May?.  1894.] 

The  most  violent  earthquake  known  in  tlic  histoid'  ofCaUromia  had 
its  center  of  action  a  few  miles  from  Owens  Lake,  Inyo  County. 

This  terrible  convulsion  occurred  on  Tuesday,  Marrh  26,  1872.  The 
night  tt'as  calm,  the  sky  clear,  the  moon  just  past  full.  The  Sierra 
Nevada  Mountain*  wercco-vered  with  snow,  which  shone  like  robes  of 
pearly  satin  in  the  moonlight.  The  \'alley  presentetl  as  peaceful  and  se- 
cure a  scene  as  eyes  evri  looketl  upon,  and  the  great  mountains  on 
either  side  appeared  the  very  embodiment  of  solidity  and  stability. 

In  an  instant,  without  any  waniing  5>'niptonis  from  the  heavens 
above  or  the  earth  beneath,  the  monnt.iins  were  swaying  hke  stonn- 
tOAsed  trees  and  the  valley  rolled  like  the  >eea. 

About  25  minutes  past  7  o'clock  in  the  mominji  great  rumbling  and 
roaring;  were  heard  to  come  from  deep  in  the  earth.  At  the  same  instant 
the  ground  rolled  violently;  there  was  also  a  twisting  motion,  and  this, 
together  with  the  heaWng  and  rolling,  proiluced  great  and  instant  de- 
stniction.  Buildings  of  stone  or  adobe  were  reduced  to  heaps  of  ruins 
in  a  moment,  and  even  strong  frame  buildings  were  wrecked  or  thrown 
from  their  foundations. 

Had  this  awful  convulsion  occurred  at  a  large  cit>'.  there  is  no  doubt 
it  would  have  been  attended  with  such  a  loss  of  life  and  property  as  was 
caused  by  the  most  noted  earthquakes  in  ancient  or  mo<iem  times. 

Fnrtimatelv  the  country  affected  was  sparsely  settled,  and  there 
were  no  large  buildings  inhabited  by  considerable  ntimbers  of  people. 
But  in  proportion  to  population  in  the  region  affected,  the  loss  of  life  was 
very  great. 

The  town  of  I,one  Pine  is  .situated  five  miles  north  from  Owens 
T^abe:  Mount  UTiitncy,  the  highest  peak  of  the  Sierra  Nevada,  is  di- 
rectly west  from  the  town:  the  summil  itf  the  mountain  is  twelve  miles 
distant  in  an  air  line,  but  to  reach  it  takes  a  jouniey  of  three  days. 

The  greatest  loss  of  life  was  at  Loue  Pine.     About  three-fourths  of 
the    buildings    were  of  stone    and    adotw.  and  ever>-  one  of  these  was 
dashed  into  a  heap  of  ruins  at  the  first  crash  of  the   earthquake.     More 


m 


HtSTORtCAl    SOCIETY    OF    SOUTHERN    CAUFORMA. 

thau  sixty  persons  were  instantly  killed  or  wounded,  A  large  store, 
crowded  with  goods,  fell  aud  buried  Rockwell  I,oomi$,  one  of  the  owners, 
who  was  sleeping  in  the  building.  Fire  broke  out  in  the  ruin  near 
where  Mr.  Loomis  was  lying  wounded  aud  held  fast  in  the  wreck.  A 
large  quantity  of  powder  in  kegs  was  close  by,  and  it  looked  ccrtnin 
that  at  any  moment  the  horrors  of  an  explosion  would  be  added  to 
the  calamity.  K  man  uamed  William  Covington  was  also  hi  the 
building  and  escaped  without  hurt.  He  quickly  leanied  that  Txtomis 
was  alive  and  saw  his  danger  from  the  powder.  Thequakings  and  roar 
of  the  earthquake  yet  continued:  the  screams  of  terror-stricken  women 
and  the  .shouts  of  men  were  heard  on  ever)-  side. 

In  the  midst  of  all  the  confusion  and  terror  Corington  made  his  way 
to  hii*  friend,  managed  to  extinguish  the  fire  and  j;ot  the  powder  kegs 
covered  securely  from  sparks.  He  then  got  Lonmis  free  from  the  ruin 
and  con\'eyed  him  to  a  place  of  safety.  Men  have  gaineri  la<tting  fame 
for  dced5i  done  in  battle  that  were  not  more  truly  heroic  than  this  act  ol 
Covington. 

In  another  house  Mrs.  C.  M.  Joslyn  and  her  little  son  were  asleep  in 
bed  when  the  crash  came.  On  the  other  side  of  n  partition  her  two  lit- 
tle daughters  were  sleeping.  A  falling  wall  instantly  killed  the  child  in 
the  mother'-s  flrm.<,  and  the  wa.-^  se^-erely  injured;  the  two  girls  were  not 
hurt.  A  large  and  .strongly  built  brcwer>*  wa.s  partially  cnislied  in.  Sev- 
eral people  were  asleep  in  the  building  and  all  escaped  without  injury, 
except  an  infant,  the  child  of  one  of  the  proprietors,  which  was  killed 
instantly.  In  another  house  a  mother,  two  daughters  and  a  son  were  all 
instantly  killed.     But  it  would  be  tedious  to  extend  the  list  of  killed. 

There  were  a  number  of  remarkable  escapes,  only  a  few  of  which 
need  be  mentioned.  Colonel  Whipple  occupied  a  two-stor>'  residence. 
On  the  night  of  the  earthquake  his  family  were  absent,  and  he  slept  on 
the  second  floor.  When  the  crash  came  the  house  went  down,  and  he 
was  buried  in  the  ruiu,  He  exclaimed:  "This  is  death,"  and  thought 
of  his  absent  family.  He  quickly  found  himself  able  to  xao\^,  and, 
though  nearly  suffocated,  managed  to  get  out  of  the  ruin.  He  escaped 
with  but  a  few  slight  scratches.  A  man  named  Austin  was  also  sleeping 
in  the  bouite,  in  another  room.  This  man  had  one  arm  and  three  ribs 
broken. 

Pr.  Gelcich  r>ccupied  a  building,  one  end  l>cing  used  as  a  drug 
store  and  the  other  os  a  dwelling.  The  end  of  the  dwelling  went  out  at 
the   first  nngh   this  be  escaped  with  his  wife  and  infant 

chill'  nd  roof  fell  in.     From  across  the  street  the 

d  .   Joslyn.  calling  for  help  where  she  was 

■  ruins  of  her  house.     He  started  to  give 
do   anything  another  shock  threw   him 


i 


THE  OiVENS  VALLEY  BAHTHQUAKE  OF  /J^. 


"9 


down  and  he  was  hurt  so  severely  as  afterwards  caused  him  to  spit 
bluoil.  In  another  building  two  men  were  sleeping  together;  one  escaped 
unfaurt;  the  other  was  nearly  killed. 

All  who  escaped  and  were  able  to  do  anything  went  to  work  at 
fmce  to  rescue  those  who  were  yet  in  the  ruins,  and  to  care  for  tli«  in- 
jured who  were  already  released. 

The  bodies  were  also  taken  from  the  ruins  and  prepared  for  hurial; 
sixteen  were  persons  of  foreign  birth,  having  norelativ-es  near  the  place; 
coffins  were  prepared  for  these,  each  having  tlie  name  inscribed  thereon. 
There  were  fifteen  of  these  cofEns;  one  of  tliese  contained  two  bodies,  a 
mother  and  child.  All  these  were  buried  in  one  great  grave;  this  grave 
is  about  one-half  mile  north  from  Lone  Hne,  and  is  still  kept  enclosed 
within  a  neat  picket  fence.  The  bodies  of  those  who  had  relatives  or 
friends  ■(verc  taken  charge  of  by  these  and  buried. 

The  whole  number  killed  at  Lone  Pine,  as  far  as  can  now  be  ascer- 
tained, was  twenty-six. 

About  ten  miles  north  from  Lone  Pine,  and  on  the  east  side  of 
Owens  River,  is  the  Eclipse  mine  and  quartz  mill.  Henry  Tregellas. 
the  manager,  li\-ed  with  his  wife  in  an  adobe  house  near  the  mill.  At 
the  first  shake  the  house  went  down  in  ruins.  All  the  other  buildings 
save  the  mill,  which  is  a  very  strong  frame  structure,  went  down  at  the 
first  crash.  The  terrified  people  who  escaped  from  the  buildings  quickly 
got  together,  and  it  was  found  that  none  were  missing  but  Mr.  Tregallas 
and  his  wife.  Among  all  the  others  few  were  hurt,  none  seriously,  and 
none  killed. 

The  men  quickly  went  in  search  of  the  missing  people:  when  found 
in  the  ruins  Mr.  Tregallas  was  dead,  his  arms  about  his  wife,  who  was 
badl>'  hurt  and  nearly  unconscious.  The  woman  was  cared  for  as  well 
as  possible,  and  fiilly  recovered  in  course  of  time.  The  body  of  her 
husband  was  taken  charge  of  and  buried  by  the  members  of  the  Masonic 
lodge  at  Independence. 

At  the  town  of  Independence,  which  is  the  county  seal,  and  sixteen 
miles  north  from  Lone  Pine,  the  wreck  of  buildings  was  general.  But 
more  timber  had  been  used  here  than  at  lx>ne  Pine,  and  partitions  and 
joists  protected  the  people  in  the  buildings  from  falling  walls;  as  a  con- 
sequence no  lives  were  lost,  nor  was  any  person  very  seriously  hurt. 

The  Court  House  was  a  two-story  brick  building.  The  Comity 
Clerk  and  Under  Sheriff  were  sleeping  on  the  ground  floor.  At  the  first 
shock  the  whole  of  the  upper  story  went  crashing  to  the  south  and  fell 
beyond  the  lower  part  of  the  building.  The  walls  of  the  lower  story 
were  left  standing,  but  badly  cracked  to  the  ground.  The  two  officers 
escaped  from  the  ruins  with  but  slight  injury. 


mSTORICAI.    SOCIETY   OF    SOVTHEXJV   CAUFORSIA. 


P,  A.  rfcff*"F».  iriu>  was  tben  editor  of  the  Inyo  tmdeptndemi,  ^tcs  ' 
(he  ulluwiDK  icoonDi  of  his  expericiKC- 

He  wa»  avakracd  from  •oand  deep,  and  it  wvs  aooe  time  before 
1K  became  e«>nPcioiia of  the  cries  of  tats  terrified  wife  and  of  the  awfol  con- 
vndrfiMM  of  the  cAfth.  Whh  a  feeling  r^  indcscrihable  teiTDT  be  reached 
the  floor.  ReelhiK  and  ^UfrfireriTiK  Hke  a  dnrnken  man  for  a  time — 
ntMorad  by  the  le&MtionK  it  «enueH  »»  a»e— be  \-anily  sought  to  grasp 
from  It*  erib  a  sleeping  chil<l.  It  was  impo>«ib1e.  for  as  he  staggered  for- 
ward the  crib  rolled  away,  and  tbea  returned  whb  a  shodc  that  sent  him 
reelini;  Rtrninit  the  bed.  By  some  means  be  finally  got  tbe  child  in  his 
arms  and  ttartcd  oat  of  the  room. 

At  thi<(  moment  a  crath  was  heard  tn  the  printing  office  directly 
overhead,  where  stooH  two  printing  presses,  weiirbinc  over  two  thooiiand 
pottndii,  which  seemed  to  be  breaking  through  the  floor.  Unlockinp  the 
outer  door  lie  threw  the  child  to  tlie  heaving  ground,  and  returned  to 
meet  \i\*  wife  ns  «he  staggered  out  with  a  balw  in  her  arms.  Amid  the 
falling  plaMerlnp  and  crashing  pottery  all  esoay>ed  without  a  scratch. 
The  whole  time  lliuit  occupied  did  not  probably  exce«l  fift>'  seconds. 
Similar  experiences  were  had  in  every  house  in  town. 

A  well-known  attome\',  who  i.s  now  in  practice  at  Independence, 
and  is  a  man  of  ((iiick  apprehension,  appeared  to  understand  the  situa- 
tion instantly.  Wlieu  the  6rst  shock  occurred  and  the  walls  of  bis 
hiMiwf  were  tumbling  down,  he  lenped  from  bed  and  shouted  to  his  wife: 
"Oct  up,  Hetty,  get  up;  hell's  broke  lor>se."  The  couple  escaped  with- 
out ■  iicmtch :  but  the  impression  then  made  upon  the  mind  of  that  attor-  ■ 
ney  wan  »»nrh  llml  tliere  is  reasonable  groimd  to  hope  that  he  may  in 
the  end  escape  the  bourne  so  mnnv  of  hi-;  profession  appear  to  he  des- 
tined for. 

The  wreck  and  destruction  of  propert\' wn.-;  general  at  Independence: 
but  no  livcM  were  Io«t,  and,  as  alrejidy  stJiled.  no  one  was  seriouslv  hurt. 

Two  miles  north  from  Independence  is  a  fine  settlement  called  Camp 
Independrm-^.  At  the  time  nf  the  enrihtinnke  all  the  buildings  were  of 
ndnlir,  and  all  were  partially  destroved.  Only  one  life  was  lost.  A  far- 
mer named  Facoh  Vogt,  his  wife  and  one  child  lived  in  an  adobe  house. 
At  the  first  ctiiHli  the  building  \vrra\  down  in  ruin,  and  liefore  Mr.  Vogt 
muld  extricate  his  wife  and  child  the  latter  was  suffocated.  Mr&  Vogt 
and  a  few  others  were  injured,  hut  none  seriously. 

At  Ki!»h  Spring,  twcnt\'-onc  mile«  north  of  Independence,  buildings 
were  wrecked  and  the  inmntoji  buried  in  the  ruins.  But.  strange  tn  say„ 
no  one  was  killetl  and  only  one  person,  an  aged  woman,  was  seriously 
hurt  l*hi»  woman  wa.*  tbe  mother  of  Henr>-  C.  Paine,  well-knovm  in 
Loe  AoReles.     She  recowrml  from  her  in}uries  and   lived   until   two  or 


THE  OIVENS  yALLEY  EARTHQUAKE  OF  tS^. 


3t 


three  years  ajfo,  when  she  died  at  the  home  of  a  married  daughter  and 
at  the  place  where  she  had  been  hurt  by  the  earthquake. 

At  the  town  of  Bishop,  forty-seven  miles  north  from  Independence, 
the  shake  was  ab*o  severe,  and  stone  and  adobe  buildings  went  down  m 
ruins.  Along  with  other  members  of  their  family,  two  yoinig  ladies, 
daughters  of  J.  P.  Zaney,  were  that  night  at  a  boll  in  the  town.  A 
bca\-y  stone  chimney  at  their  home  fell,  crashing  through  the  roof 
and  down  upon  the  bed  where  these  girls  would  have  been  lying  had 
they  not  been  at  the  dance.  If  in  bed  at  that  moment,  both  would  cer- 
tainly have  been  killeil.  This  incident  is  not  found  in  Sunday  School 
storj-  books.  It  may  afford  a  good  argtinient  to  girls  who  want  to  go  to 
a  dance  when  the  old  folks  object. 

The  earthquake  extended  along  the  Sierra  Nevada  Mountains  far  to 
the  north,  and  at  Aurora,  and  other  places,  one  hundred  mites  or  more 
from  Owens  Valley,  buildings  were  badly  injured  or  totally  wrecked,  but 
no  loss  of  life,  or  even  serious  injury  to  persons,  was  reported  from  that 
direction. 

The  center  of  the  convulsion  was  at  or  near  tione  Pine,  and  radiat- 
ing from  that  in  all  directions,  the  earth  movement  diminished. 

At  Little  Lake,  fifh*  miles  south  of  Lone  Pine,  the   first  shock  was 
severe.     On  that  night  a  stage  and  eleven  large  teams  were  at   the  sta- 
tion.    The   stage  dri\*er,  named   H.  W.    Robinson,  was  sleeping  in   a 
roi)m  there.     At  the  first  shock  his  impression  was  that  his  team  was 
running  away  with  the  stage,  and  he  jumped   up,  grabbed   for  the  lines 
and  shouted:  "^Tioa!  Whoa!"     He  was  tumbled  out  of  bed  to  the  floor, 
became  frilly  conscious  and  lumped  out  of  the  room,  escaping  unhurt. 
The  men  with   the   big  teams  were  sleeping  in  their  wagons,  to  which 
the  mules  were  tied.     When  the  wagons  began  to  roll  and  pitch,  one  of 
the  drivers  jumped  np,  put  on   the  brakes,  and   began   to  address  the, 
mules  in  the  vigorous  way  usual  with  mule  drivers,  thinking  the  animals 
were  causing  all   the  trouble.     Another  driver  shouted  to  him:  "Yoti 
d — d  fnol;  't  aint  the  mules;  it's  an  earthquake."     No  one  was  hurt  at 
^^^      Little  T,ake,  nor  was  any  damage  reported  from  .south  of  that  place. 
^^B  That  the  center  of  this  great  disturbance  of  the  earth   was  deep- 

^^^^■toted  is  evident  from  the  permanent  changes  on  the  surface. 

^^^^^■^     About  twenty-eight  miles  north  from  I/)nc    Pine  the  bed  of  Owens 

H  River  sank,  making  a  depression  that  took  the  river  se^•eral  hours  to  fill 

I  np.     This  depression  still  remains,  a  lake  of  some  hundreds  of  acres   in 

I  extent. 

I  About  seven  miles  north  of  Lone  Pine  the  ground  sank  toward  the 

I  wcstr  the  river  followed  this  dejjression  and   made   a   new  channel,   in 

I  which  it  continues  to  flow.     The  high  banks  of  the  old  channel  can  yet 


33         HISTORICAL    SOCIETY    OF    SOUTHERN   CAUFORNIA. 

be  seen  about  two  miles  to  the  east  from  the  present  west  bank   of   the 
river,  at  a  point  four  miles  north  of  Lone  Pine. 

A  half  mile  north  from  I,one  Pine  a  row  of  tall  trees  extends  west- 
ward at  a  right  angle  to  the  wagon  road.  About  loo  yards  from  the 
road  there  is  an  o&et  in  this  row  of  trees.  Beyond  that  point  where 
the  straight  line  is  broken,  the  trees  stand  about  i6  feet  farther  north 
than  those  in  the  line  from  the  same  point  back  to  the  road.  This  off- 
set was  made  by  the  earthquake.  None  of  the  trees  on  either  side  of 
the  line  where  the  break  was  made  were  disturbed',  all  now  stand  erect 
and  uninjured,  just  as  they  were  before  the  earthquake. 

High  up  in  the  mountains  enormous  masses  of  rock  were  shaken 
loose  and  hurled  down  into  the  canyons.  I  have  seen  pine  trees,  that 
must  be  lOO  feet  or  more  in  height,  still  standing  erect,  but  only  their 
tops  visible.  The  whole  canyon  where  they  stand  is  filled  up  with  rocks, 
the  debris  from  high  peaks  that  fell  during  the  earthquake.  It  is  now 
over  22  years  since  that  awful  convulsion,  and  during  that  time  no  part 
of  the  state  has  been  less  affected  by  earthquakes  than  Inyo  County. 


CALIFORNIA  IN  THE  THIRTIES. 

tAinUadtbtha  wriMrby  Ki-Ownraarno  PICO  uMl  OoL  J.   J.   WARHKR,  Jon*  lMt.| 


BT   H.    D.    BASKOWS. 


[Read  July  a,  18*4.] 

The  decade  of  1830 — '40.  in  some  respects,  was  one  of  the  most 
important  in  the  history  of  Aha  California.  It  was  during  tlie  years  of 
this  decade  that  the  control  of  the  immense  misstonar>'  establishments 
of  the  Proxnnce,  was  transferred  from  the  ecclesiastical  to  the  civil 
authorities;  and  it  was  during  this  same  period  that  the  policy  of  grant- 
ing public  lands  to  actual  settlers,  so  fer-reaching  in  its  effects,  was  in- 
augurated or  carried  into  practical  execution,  whereby,  not  only  the 
settlement  of  the  country,  by  full-fledged  citizens,  i.  e.  by  "gentt  <U 
f(l-(<w/' capable  of  self-government,  was  greatly  encouraged;  but  also 
(which  was  vastly  important)  tenure  of  title  to  lands  was  effectively 
provided  for,  under  the  comprehcnjdve  and  very  liberal  land  laws  of  the 
republic. 

During  the  ecclesiastical  or  missiooary  regime,  the  mi.ssions  occu- 
pied the  public  domain  in  their  respective  juri.sdictions,  only  by  per- 
mission, without  having  absolute  title  thereto:  the  expectation  of  both 
the  Spanish  and  Mexican  governments  haWng  been,  that  the  missions, 
(a.s  bad  happened  in  other  parts  of  Spanish  America,)  would  eventuaUy 
become  self-governing  Pueblos;  and  that  the  neophytes  would  in  time 
be  capable  of  receiving  and  transmitting  titles  to  land.  But  it  was 
found  afler  faithful  and  prolonged  attempts  by  the  Franciscan  Fathers 
to  civilize  the  California  Indians,  that  the  latter  were  not  capable  of 
citizenship  in  any  true  sense;  and  moreover,  that  if  lands  were  dis- 
tribated  to  them  in  fee,  they  could  only  hold  and  transmit  titles  to  the 
same  through  the  aid  of  clerical  or  other  guardians. 

Therefore  the  Mexican  government  wa.s  compelled  to  radically 
change  its  land  policy  in  California,  and  provide  for  the  distribution  of 
its  lands  to  citizens,  who,  not  only  should  be  competent  to  manage 
them  and  transmit  title  to  them,  but  who  also  should  be  capable  of  local 
self-govenimenl,  which  the  Indians  were  not. 


m 


34 


HISTORICAL    SOCIETY   OF    SOUTHERN   CAUFORNIA, 


The  state  of  warfare  which  prevailed  in  Mexico  for  ten  years  or 
more  preceding  the  achievment  of  its  independence,  did  uot  extend 
to  CaUforaia,  which  remained  in  peace  and  qmetude;  and  this  continued 
until  the  year  1831,  with  the  exception  of  a  short-lived  military  in- 
surrection of  the  garrisons  of  Scm  Frandsco  and  Monterey,  beaded  by 
Gen.  Solis,  which  came  to  naught  The  civil,  militair  and  ecclesiasti- 
cal authorities  of  California  gave  in  their  allegiance  to  tb.e  new  govern- 
ment soon  after  the  national  independence  was  established  in  1832. 
In  the  latter  part  of  1S30,  Manuel  Victoria  was  sent  by  the  Mexican 
goveroment  to  relieve  Gov.  Echeaudia;  twho  had  filled  the  office  since 
1^35.)  aud  he,  Victoria,  assumed  the  duties  of  governor  of  the  Terri- 
tory in  January,  I831. 

In  November  of  this  year,  an  insurrection  against  Victoria  was 
initiated  at  Sau  Diego,  headed  by  Pico,  Baudini.  Jose  Antonio  Carrillo, 
Steams,  and  others;  the  guard-house,  (which  was  used  as  a  prison  for 
the  town  and  country,)  was  seized,  and  the  Commandants  of  the  post, 
Santiago  Arguello.  aud  Captaiu  Pablo  Portillo  were  arrested.  A  com- 
mission was  sent  to  Los  Augeles  to  secure  the  co-operation  of  Los 
Angeles  iu  this  movement,  in  which  aim  it  was  successful. 

Amongst  the  causes  of  dissatisiactiou  with  Victoria  were  the  follow- 
ing: Alter  the  organization  of  Republican  government  in  Mexico, 
which  succeeded  the  dowulall  of  the  Imperial  regime  under  Iturbide, 
the  Mexican  Congress  by  law  provided  for  the  distribution  of  the  public 
lands  of  the  nation  among  the  citizens,  in  conformity  with  regulations 
which  were  to  be  issued  by  the  executive  branch  of  the  government, 
but  which  were  not  promulgated  until  1828.  And  as,  under  this  law 
and  these  regulatious,  the  co-operation  of  the  legislative  department 
of  the  government  of  California,  was  necessary,  to  make  grants  of 
lands  to  citizens;  and,  as  Victoria  ueglected  or  refused  to  take  any 
steps  to  carry  out  the  same,  or  to  call  the  legislative  body  together,  the 
people  naturally  becjime  impatient  that  the  benificeut  land  laws  of  the 
the  republic,  so  far  as  they  related  to  California,  should  thus  be  ren- 
dered inoperative. 

Another  and  second  cause  of  the  disaffection  of  the  people  of  San 
Diego  and  Los  Angeles  against  the  administration  of  Victoria  was  that 
that  official  had  made  his  headquarters  and  the  seat  of  the  Territorial  Gov- 
emmeut  at  Monterey,  instead  of  at  San  Diego,  which  had  been  the  head- 
quarters of  Gov.  Kcheandia.  Again,  the  people  of  Los  Angeles  had 
also  become  cKasperated  with  \^ictoria,  because  of  their  belief  that  the 
acts  of  the  Alcalde  of  Lus  Angeled,  Vicente  Sanchez,  who,  during  the 
year  1831,  had  kept  a  large  number  of  the  most  influential  citir^ns  of  ,, 
the  Pueblo  under  arrest  in  the  guardhouse,  mostly  for  contempt  of  his 
authority  or  for  some  trivial  offense,  etc.,  were  inspired  by  Victoria.     Of 


CALIFORNIA  IN  THE  THIRTIES. 


S5 


course  this  disaffection  was  increased  by  the  refusal  of  Victoria  to  call 
the  Territorial  I^egislature  together,  as  he  had  been  requested  to  do  by 
prominent  citizens. 

The  coinmissiouers  from  Sau  Diego,  and  the  force  which  accompa- 
panied  them,  found  the  people  of  Los  Angeles  very  ready  to  join  them 
in  the  revolt  or  "pronunciamento"  against  Victoria;  and  they  at  once  pro- 
ceeded, not  only  to  relieve  the  Los  Angeles  citizens  who  had  been  under 
arrest,  but  they  also  put  Alcalde  Sanchez  in  prison. 

Meanwhile  measures  were  adopted  to  oppose  or  intercept  Victoriat 
who  had  started  south  to  suppress  the  insurrection.  A  small  armed 
force  went  out  and  met  him  between  Los  Angeles  and  Cahuenga.  where 
a  hostile  encounter  took  place  on  the  5th  day  of  December,  1^31,10 
which  Captain  Pacheco  of  Victoria's  party  aud  Jose  Maria  Abila  of  the 
insurgent  force  (and  one  of  the  ciitzens  whom  Sanchez  had  had  in 
prison  a  long  time)  were  killed.  Abila,  with  lance  iu  rest,  charged  on 
Victoria,  whereupou  Pacheco  rushed  between  them  to  save  his  chief, 
and  was  killed,  on  which  some  one  of  Victoria's  men  slew  Abila. 
The  insurgents  made  no  attempt  to  capture  Victoria  then,  but  with- 
drew from  the  place  of  encounter  aud  returned  to  town.  Victoria  did 
not  follow  them,  but  proceeded  to  Sau  Gabriel.  He  wan  soon  followed 
thither.  howe\-er,  by  the  insurgent  leaders,  who  took  with  them  Akade 
i  Sanchez:  and  there  Victoria  turned  over  all  authority,  resigning  his 
office  as  Governor :  aud  he  was  sent  to  San  Diego,  from  whence  he  was 
dispatched  by  an  American  vessel  to  Sau  Bias.  The  resignation  of  Vic- 
toria left  the  Territory  without  a  Governor. 

It  had  been  agreed  al  Sau  Diego,  between  Arguello  and  PortiUa  and 
the  insurgents  under  Pico,  that  the  former  would  join  in  the  insuTTection 
against  Victoria  if  the  insurgents  would  proclaim  Hcheandia  Militar>' 
Chief.  Pico  and  Hcheaudia  left  Sau  Diego  about  the  time  of  the  affair 
of  December  5.  uear  Cahuenga,  of  which  they  heard  at  the  Indian  vil- 
lage  of  Santa  Margarita.  They  proceeded  to  the  Mission  San  Gabriel, 
where  Hcheandia  tonually  took  the  oath  of  otBce  as  Military  Chief  and 
assumed  command.  But  he  was  uot  recognized  by  Zamorauo,  who  had 
been  left  in  command  at  Monterey  by  Victoria;  aud  Zamorano  sent  a 
military  expedition,  under  Lieut.  Vbarra.  south  to  suppress  the  iiusur- 
rectiou.  But,  although  the  latter  came  as  far  south  as  Los  Angeles,  the 
authority  of  Zamorano  was  ouly  partially  recognized  there,  aud  not  at 
all  at  San  Diego.  The  attitude  of  the  people  and  of  Hcheandia  as  Com- 
mandante  was  such  that  Vbarra  retired  and  finally  returned  to  Monterey. 

From  the  time  of  the  resignation  of  Victoria  to  the  coming  of  Fig- 
ueroa,  Hcheaudta  was  the  Military  Commandante  of  the  southern  part 
of  the  Territory,  with  headquarters  at  San  Diego;  aud  Pio  Pico  was  rec- 
ognized as  Gefe  Politico  or  Governor— i.  e.,  in  the  south,  or  throughout 


36 


HtSTORICAL    SOCIETY   OF    SOUTHERN    CAUFORNIA. 


that  portion  of  the  province  over  which  the  authority  of  Echeandia  as 
Commandantc  extended  he,  Pico,  having  taken  the  oath  of  office  at 
l:x>s  Angeles  January  26,  1831,  the  same  having  been  administered  by 
General  Vallejo,  at  the  old  church  on  the  Plaza. 

The  people  of  the  south  did  not  consider  Zamorano  in  any  sense  the 
legally  constituted  political  chief,  notwithstanding  his  pretensions  to  the 
governorship  as  successor  of  Victoria.  On  the  contrary,  Pio  Pico,  who, 
by  virtue  of  being  the  senior  member  of  the  Territorial  Legislature, 
was,  under  the  Mexican  law  of  May  6,  i83«,  by  them  recognized  as  the 
legitimate  Governor;  and  he  acted  as  such,  though  the  inhabitants  of 
the  northern  part  of  the  Territory  adhered  to  Zamorano,  till  the  arrival 
of  Figueroa,  who  was  regularly  appointed  as  Governor  by  the  Mexican 
government.  Figueroa  arrived  in  California  in  the  latter  part  of  1832, 
and  assumed  the  duties  of  his  office  in  January,  1833;  and  all  sections 
acquiesced  in  his  authority  and  he  remained  Governor  till  hts  death  at 
Monterey  in  1835. 

During  the  incumbency  of  Figueroa  the  law  of  1824  and  the  "reg- 
tamento"  of  1828  were  first  carried  into  execution  by  him;  and  he  made 
various  grants  of  land  imder  them,  which  were  duly  approved  by  the 
Territorial  Legislature.  Under  the  administration  of  Governor  Figueroa 
the  initiator}'  steps  were  taken  for  the  secularization  of  the  missions,  and 
also  the  management  or  control  of  their  temporal  affairs  was  transferred 
from  the  priests  to  civil  officers  called  administrators,  who  were  ap- 
pointed by  the  Governor. 

An  organization  was  formed  in  the  City  of  Mexico  in  1834,  called 
the  "Cosmopolitan  Company,"  forthe  purpose  of  taking  possession  of  the 
mi.<»ious  of  California,  their  aim  also  being  to  control  the  commerce  of 
the  Territory.  Jose  Maria  Hijar  was  sent  to  California  as  Governor  this 
same  year  by  the  Mexican  government-  -Gomez  Farias  being  the  chief 
magistrate  of  Mexico,  in  the  absence  of  Santa  Ana  at  the  head  of  the 
army  in  the  field.  But  before  the  arrival  of  Hijar  in  California  Santa 
Ana,  who  had  assumed  his  official  duties  as  President,  sent  a  special 
messenger  to  Figueroa  directing  him  not  to  deliver  the  control  of  the 
missions;  and  Hijar,  consequently,  never  acted  as  Governor.  A  large 
proportion  af  the  commerce  of  the  province  at  thai  time  was  carried  ou 
by  the  priests  of  the  missions.  The  Hijar  plau  was  to  appoint  adminis- 
trators of  all  the  missions,  who  were  to  be  named  by  Hijar,  candidates 
tor  which  he  brought  with  him. 

After  the  arrival  of  Hijar  a  lengthy  and  somewhat  embittered  cor- 
respondence (>ctwccn  him  and  Governor  Figueroa  took  place;  but,  owing 
to  the  firmncis  of  Figueroa,  the  colony  and  commercial  scheme  proved 
an  entire  failure,  and  Hijar  left  the  country:  but  most  of  the  members 
of  the  colony  remained,  and  Governor  Figueroa  a.s.sigued   the  use  of  the 


CAUFORNIA  IN  THE  THIRTIES. 


SI 


mission  of  Santa  Cmz  to  them;  but  they  soon  dispersed  to  different, 
parts  of  the  province,  where  the>-  became  permanent  settlers,  and  some 
of  them  eveutually  acqtiired  considerable  prominence.  The  names  of 
some  of  these  colonists  who  remained  were:  the  Coronels,  Agustin 
Olwra,  Victor  Prudon,  P.  Guerrero,  Jose  Abrego,  N.  Estrada,  J.  M. 
Co^'arrubias,  Jesus  Noe,  etc. 

On  the  death  of  Go^-emor  Figueroa.  in  August,  1835.  Colonel  Nic- 
olas Guiterrez  became  Military-  Commandante.  Jose  Antonio  Estudillo, 
as  senior  member  of  the  Territorial  Legislature,  should  have  succeeded 
to  the  civil  go^'eruorshtp,  but  he  declined,  and  Jose  Castro,  another 
member  of  the  "diputadon."  became  became  clWI  governor. 

There  were  uumerous  changes  iu  iS,'}6,  Nicholas  Gutierrez  and 
Mariano  Chico  each  acting  as  Governor  for  short  periods.  Juan  B.  Al- 
varado  became  Governor  in  November,  1 836,  and  continued  in  that  office 
till  1S42.  Alvarado  while  Governor  issued  a  proclamation  declaring 
CaUforuia  a  free  and  tudepeudent  sovereignty,  which  declaration  was  not 
received  with  much  enthusiasm  by  the  people.  So  Alvarado  and  Castro 
soon  after  entered  into  negotiations  with  the  Mexican  authorities  for  the 
return  of  CaUfornia  to  its  allegiance  to  Mexico. 

In  1839  General  Vallejo,  who  had  been  for  some  time  in  military 
command  of  the  country  west  of  the  Sacnimeuto  River,  and  who  had 
favored  and  assisted  the  acquirement  of  laud  by  foreigners,  who  had  al- 
ready become  quite  numerous,  represented  to  the  Mexican  government 
that  the  presence  of  foreigners  was  beginning  to  endanger  the  integrity 
and  stability'  ol  the  Mexican  authority;  and  he  asked  that  special  pow- 
ers be  conferred  on  him  to  maintain  the  same,  over  that  portion  of  Cali- 
fornia included  in  bis  ci)mmu.nd. 

To  counteract  this  mo\'e  of  \'aUejo,  as  well  perhaps  as  to  show  their 
own  loyalty,  and  to  reinstate  themselves  iu  favor  with  the  central  govern- 
ment, which  they  had  lost  by  their  previous  attempts  to  make  California 
independent,  AU'orado  and  Castro  arrested  several  foreign  residents  of 
California,  and  without  the  formality  of  trial  sent  them — some  forty- 
seven  iu  number — as  prisoners  to  San  Bias.  As  a  portion  of  these  ar- 
rested persons  were  Americans  and  Knglishmen.  the  American  and 
English  governments  made  reclamation  of  the  government  of  Mexico 
for  tfac.%  illegal  proceedings,  which  was  fiually  accorded  by  the  latter. 
Among  these  prisoners,  most  of  whom  returned  to  CaUfomia,  was  Isaac 
Graham,  who  settled  afterwards  in  Santa  Cruz,  where  he  obtained  laud 
on  which  he  li\-ed  many  years.  He  died  in  San  Francisco  in  1863. 
Another  was  William  Chard,  who  afterwards  secured  a  grant  in  Tehama 
County  on  which  he  lived  till  his  death.  Others  of  the  party  received 
compensation  for  their  losses  and  sufferings  from  the  Mexican  govern- 
ment. 


mSTORtCAL    SOC/ETY   OF    SOUTJiEXN   CAUFOHXiA, 


San  Gabriel  Mission  in  the  early  thirties  was  the  religious  center  of 
this  portion  of  California,  and,  l>esitles,  it  was  the  center  of  industrial 
nctji-ities,  inasmuch  as  it  had  nominal  control  of  large  landed  estates  and 
owned  immense  flocks  and  herds  and  carried  on  extensi\*e  agrtculLtiral 
and  manufacturing  enterprises.  Great  quantities  of  leather,  saddles, 
bridles,  coarse  woolen  cloths  and  blankets,  soap,  wine  and  brandy  were 
made  and  disposed  of  to  the  residents  of  Los  Angeles  and  to  the  ranch - 
eras  of  the  surrounding  countrj*.  The  labor  employed  in  the  produc- 
tion of  these  things  was  performed  almost  exclusively  by  Indians  or  by 
the  neophytes  of  the  mission,  each  department  being  under  Califnrrian 
or  Mexican  owrseei-s  or  mayordomos;  and  the  whole  was  under  the  cajvi- 
ble  general  supcr\-ision  of  wise  old  Father  Joae  Sanchez,  who.  also  at 
one  time  (1827-31),  was  President  of  all  the  missions  of  California,  and 
whose  memory  was  widely  i-enerated  by  all  who  knew  him,  and  is  to 
this  day  by  iha^e  who  survive  him.  At  that  time  there  was  no  regtilar 
priest  stationed  in  Los  Angeles.  On  Sur,dny.s,  fea-st  days,  etc..  the  peo- 
of  the  -■iurrounding  country,  and  even  from  the  Pueblo,  gathered  mainly 
at  San  Giibriel,  and  not  at  Los  .iVngeles,  as  wa.s  the  case  in  after  yean'. 
It  wa.s  only  occasionally  that  the  former  sent  a  priest  to  Lo«  Angeles  to 
hold  religious  services,  for  the  benefit  of  the  people,  at  the  chiirch  on  the 
Plaxa. 

Af^er  the  seen lari ration  of  the  missions,  the  relative  importance  of 
the  two  placesrapidly  changed.  San  Gabriel  fell  into  decadence  and  Los 
Angeles  soon  l>ecame  the  principal  a\y  of  Alta  California,  and  so  re- 
mained till  the  discovery  of  gold,  when  San  Prancisco  became  the  me- 
tropolis, not  only  of  California,  but  of  the  Coast. 

In  1832  it  is  estimated  that  the  cattle  belonging  to  the  missiou  of 
San  Gabriel  exceeded  100,000  head.  From  the  raiichos  of  Ucaipc  and 
San  Bernardino  (both  of  which  were  stocked  exolnsively  by  cattle  belong- 
ing to  this  mission),  on  every  rancho  and  pasltire  field  to  Sau  Pedro, 
were  found  cattle  of  San  Gabriel;  and  on  many  of  the  ranches  the  cattle 
of  the  mission  predominated;  and  in  the  ten  years  subsequent  to  1832, 
upwards  of  75.000  head  of  cattle  twlonging  to  this  mi.<»ion  were  s!auj;h- 
tered  for  their  hides  and  tallow,  which  were  sold  and  exjwirted  from  the 
port  of  San  Pedro.  The  numlxrr  of  cattle  and  horses  in  Upper  California 
in  1831,  as  given  by  Forbe.<(pp.  265,  266), were:  Homed  cattle,  316,727: 
horses,  32,201;  hesidts  great  numbers  of  the  latter  which  were  running 
wild.  Mr.  Horl>cs  obtained  his  information  from  the  priests,  who  were 
accustomed  rather  to  under  than  over-estimate  the  property  of  the 
missions. 

Father  Sanchez,  who  died  in  1835,  was  succeeded  at  San  Gabriel  by 
I-'ather  Tomas  F-sleueRa,  who  remained  in  charge  of  tlie  mii-ion  for 
many  years,  or  till  hi.'i  death,   in    1W47.     li  was  during   his  t■■CT^-ice^-  a- 


CAUFORStA  IN  THE  THIRTIES. 


» 


pri»t  tbat  Uie  missiuD  fell  mto  decay:  for  the  administration  of  its  teiu- 
ioral  aflairs  was  taken  from  him.  and  the  cattle  were  slaughtered;  its 
freat  vine>'ards  and  orchards  were  left  to  die — ouly  a  small  orange  or- 
chard and  a  few  hardy  oU\'e  trees  of  that  epoch  have  survived  till  the 
present  time.  The  mission  church  building  remains,  but  the  ware- 
houses and  the  adobe  domiciles  of  its  neophytes  have  melted  into  law 
mounds,  or  to  the  level  of  the  surrounding  plains  and  there  is  but  little 
left  now  to  remind  one  of  Llie  busy  scenes,  the  industrial  activity,  and  the 
^reat  wealth  of  San  Gabri'.-!  Mission  sbcty  years  ago.  And  the  sad  his- 
tory or  all  the  other  misuions  during  the  thirties  was  not  imUke  that  of 
Sau  Gabriel.  But  the  sombemess  of  the  picture  isreheved  by  the  !act 
that  during  that  decade  the  foundations  of  a  secular  commonwealth  were 
laid,  in  which  reUgiou  was  uot  excluded.  It  would  have  been  better  if 
the  mL-wiouary  fathers  had  welcomed  and  not  opj-osed  the  acquirement  of 
\rs\v\  by  Mexican  citizen.-*,  or  even  by  foreigners  who  would  have  become 
good   citizens,  who   would   have   been  aids  and   not  drawbacks  to  the 

L  fathers  in  their  efforts  to  found  a  state  on  this,  then,  distant 
jutpost  of  civilization:  for  there  was  land  enough  iu  Caliibrnia 
for   all,    as  there  certainly   was   room   enough   for  both  citizens  and 

.lui5.siouarics  to  have  labored  in  accord  for  the  common  good.     In  that 

feus?  the  Mexican  government  would  not  ha^-e  been  forced  to  the 
harsh  alternative  of  taking  all  the  lauds  away  from  the  missions  because 
the  latter  practically  claimed  all  for  their  wards,  who,  in  fact  were  inca- 
pable of  managing  the  lauds  or  of  performing,  unaided,  the  most  rudi- 
mentary duties  that  were  atxwlutcly  essential  to  citizenship. 

In  jotting  down,  during  numerous  interviews  lost  mouth,  a  few  of 
the  recollections  of  Gov.  Pico  and  Col.  Wacner,  which  were  recounted 
to  me  with  much  greater  fulluess  than  b  here  record<fd,  1  ha^-e  been 
struck  with  two  facts.  The  first  is,  the  vivi-.biess  both  as  to  detail  and 
coloring  of  their  remembrances  of  the  past:  and  second,  how  next  to 
impossible  ii  is  for  us  Anglo- California  us  to  obtain  anything  like  an 
adequate  or  correct  picture  of  the  primitive  life  that  wxs  lived  here, 
and  iu  other  portions  of  California,  tliree-score  years  ago  by  a  race  of 
people  whose  language,  customs,  traditions,  and  ci\Hlizati<>n,  and,  whose 
enviruumeut  even,  were  so  radically  different  from  our  own.  I  only 
kno<>r  that  the  picture  we  conjure  up  mus-t  bear  but   slight   resemblauce 

[to  that  painted  in  the  memories  of  the  venerable  gentlemen,    both   now 
learly  ceutwuariaus.  who  took  part  in  the  events  of  that  distant  period. 


RECOLLECTIONS  OP  THE  OLD  COURT  HOUSE  AND  ITS  BUILDER. 


BY   H.    D.    B ARROWS. 


[Read  Dsc.  3,  iS^.] 

In  the  slow  tearing  down  of  the  old  court  house,  which  has  been 
going  on  now  for  some  time,  we  witness  the  gradual  disappearance  of 
a  public  building  that  has  long  been  a  prominent  landmark  near  the 
business  center  of  Los  Angeles  city.  This  edi6ce  was  originally  erected 
for  a  marliet  house  by  John  Temple,  and  its  first  floor  was  used  for  that 
purpose  for  a  number  of  years.  Afterwards  it  was  bought  by  the 
county,  and  was  used,  ior  the  housing  of  the  courts  and  the  variotw 
other  county  offices  for  a  long  period,  or  until  the  completion  of  the 
new  court  house  ou  the  hill.  It  was  then  sold  to  the  present  owner, 
who  is  to  replace  it  with  a  large  block. 

For  many  years,  our  people  throughout  the  county,  [which  form- 
erly included  also  the  present  county  of  OrangeJ  were  accustomed  to 
look  to  this  building  as  the  county's  hcadtjuarters,  where  the  courts 
were  held,  the  records  were  kept,  the  taxes  were  leii-ied  and  collected 
and  where  nil  general  business  of  the  county  centered.  And,  untU 
numerous  higher  structures  were  erected  in  the  immediate  neighbor- 
hood, cutting  off  the  riew,  the  people  of  the  city  long  depended  on  the 
clock  in  its  tower  for  the  time  of  day.  or  as  a  common  regulator  of 
their  watches.  Indeed  the  habit  remained  strong  with  many  of  the 
old  citizens  of  looking  to  the  "old  town  clock"  for  the  time,  from  the 
four  quarters  of  the  city,  for  a  considerable  period  after  the  clock  was 
removed  and  Its  four  dial  faces  cease  to  mark  the  time. 

The  demolition  of  the  old  court  house  awakens  many  remem- 
brances of  events  which  occurred  in  and  around  it.  and  of  its  builder, 
Mr.  Temple. 

John  Temple,  or  "Johnny  Temple,"  as  Americans  familiarly 
called  him,  "Don  Juan  Temple."  a  name  so  well  known  to  all  the  older 
Califomians,  was  one  of  the  verj'  earliest  American  settlers  in  I*os 
Angeles.  He  came  here  from  Honolulu,  on  the  ship  Waverly,  in  1827, 
nearly  70  years  ago.  He  was  a  nati\*e  of  Reading,  Mass  .  where  he 
was  bom  in  179R.  He  evidently  came  to  stay,  for  he  was  baflired  at 
once  on  his  arrival  at  San  Diego,  and  after  making  a  inv   trading   ships 


RECOLLECTIONS  OF  THE  OLD  COURT  HOUSE. 


4> 


trips  cm  the  coast,  he  ttecamca  natiiralii!<e<i  citizen  of  Mexico,  and  in  1830 
he  uiarrieU  Kafaela  Cota.  daugblcc  of  Francisco  Cota.  He  engaged  in 
trade  iii  I.os  Angeles  with  George  Rice  in  1S33,  and  then  alone,  and 
ailer  1841  with  his  brother  Francisco.  He  took  ver>'  little  part  in  polit- 
ical aifairs,  except  that  the  vigilantes  of  1836  met  at  his  house.  After 
1839  he  was  creditor  of  the  southern  missions,  and  in  1845  hepurchaiied 
the  mission  of  La  Purisima. 

From  1848.  as  owner  of  the  Los  Cenitot;  ranch,  lying  along  the 
coast,  east  of  San  Pedro,  and  including  the  site  of  the  present  town  of 
Long  Beach,  he  engaged  in  stock  raising  on  a  large  scale.  He  erected, 
at  various  epochs,  several  prominent  buildings  in  thb  city,  including 
that  long  known  as  Temple  block;  the  city  market  bouse,  in  later  years 
known  as  the  court  house;  the  southwest  portion  of  the  present  Temple 
block,  etc. 

Mr.  Temple  was  interested  in  a  ten-year  contract,  which  his  son-in- 
law,  Gregorio  Ajuria,  a  native  of  Spain,  entered  into  with  the  Mexican 
goveniment,  to  operate  the  mint  in  the  Cit>'  of  Mexico.     About  i860  or 

1861,  Seuor  Ajuria  became  insane,  and  was  taken  to  Paris,  where  Ue 
after^vards  died  in  a  hospital;  but  Mr.  Temple's  responsibility  for  the 
maaageineut  of  the  mint  continued   till   the  expiration  of  the   lease  in 

1862.  Mr.  Temple  thrice  visited  the  City  of  Mexico  with  Mrs.  Temple, 
and  once  he  went  with  her  to  Paris.  Afler  their  return,  they  moved  to 
San  Francisco,  making  their  home  on  Bush  Street  where  he  died  in 
1866.  at  the  age  of  68  years.  After  his  death.  Mrs.  Temple  went  to 
Paris  and  took  up  her  residence  with  her  widowed  daughter,  until  her 
death  some  years  later:  the  daughter  still  resides  in  Paris. 

John  Temple,  whom  I  knew  well,  was  a  very  shrewd  business  man, 
not  easily  flattered  or  deceived,  although  he  was  of  a  genial,  affable  dis- 
position and  easily  accessible;  he  was  well  liked  by  both  theCalifomians 
and  Americans;  in  person  he  was  of  tiieditim  height  and  very  stout. 
He  was  a  much  larger  man  than  his  brother,  Francisco,  whom  to  distin- 
guish from  the  former,  the  Spanish-speaking  people  called  "TempUto." 
or  Don  Francisco. 

F.  P.  F.  Temple,  after  hLt  brother's  death,  became  the  owner  of 
Temple  block.  Both  brothers  were  strong  Union  men  during  the  war, 
and  I  remember  in  1861.  that  Caleb  B.  Smith.  Secretary  of  the  Interior, 
authorized  me.  as  United  States  Marshal,  to  rent  seven  rooms  in  the  sec- 
ond story  of  this  block  of  John  Temple  at  $1200  per  annum,  for  four 
years,  for  the  use  of  the  United  States  District  Court  and  its  officers;  and 
that  Judge  Fletcher  M.  Haighl,  father  of  Gov.  H.  H.  Haight,  held 
court  each  >'ear  until  his  death  in  1865.  in  the  large  room  on  the  south- 
east corner,  fronting  Main  Street  and  the  old  conrt  house. 


4J        HISTORICAL    SOCIETY    OF    SO(/THERN    CAUFORNIA. 


Temple  Street  was  first  opened  by  John  Temple,  after  wliom  it  was 
named.  The  old  court  house  was  built  in  1S59.  On  the  conductor 
heads,  at  each  end  of  the  building,  the  date  and  Mr.  Temple's  initials 
were  plainly  marked  (thongh  in  late  years  they  were  somewhat  blurred 
by  time),  thus:  "iS5<>,  J-  T."  The  architect's  name  was  Deeriug.  who 
was  a  very  thorough  and  competent  man.  I  remember  that  it  was  said 
at  the  time  that  he  had  done  a  good  job.  and  I  think  the  present  owner, 
in  tearing  it  down,  has  found  it  so.  I  donbtif  the  uiunerousearthquakes 
which  have  visited  this  section  since  its  erection,  have  caused  a  single 
crack  to  appear  in  its  walls,  or  have  displaced  a  single  timber  or  brick. 
The  building,  with  town  clock,  etc.,  cost  about  $35,000.  Deering  also 
built  the  old  or  southwestern  portion  of  the  Temple  block. 

The  upper  story  of  the  court  house  Mr.  Temple  converted  into  a 
theater.  Here  various  dramatic  companies,  hoih  English  and  Spanish, 
played  each  winter.  Among  those  whom  I  remeniber  were  the  Starks, 
the  Maiquex  and  Castillo  troupe.<i,  the  latter  companies  giving  in  Span- 
ish, dramas,  light  operas,  etc.  The  beautiftil  Pepita  ot  the  Maiqucz 
troupe  used  to  charm  large  audiences  as  the  prima  donna,  by  her  arch 
ways  and  fine  singing  and  acting  in  one  particular  opera,  which  I  recall 
to  mind,  entitled,  La  l^iuJay  el  Sacrhtan  (The  Widow  and  tlie  Sexton). 
Each  company  iMually  remained  here  and  played  at  intervals  during  an 
itire  season. 

It  was  in  this  upper  srtory.  or  auditorium,  of  the  old  court  hou.sc 
that  the  funeral  services  were  held  by  the  people  of  Los  Angeles,  simul- 
taneously with  their  obser\*ance  throughout  the  United  States,  of  the 
martyred  President,  Abraliam  Lincohi,  on  the  1 9th  of  April,  1865.  On 
this  occasion  the  late  Rev.  Elias  Birdsall  pronounced  an  admirable  ora- 
tion before  a  large  concourse  of  onr  citizens. 

After  the  death  of  Mr.  Temple  in  1S66,  Mr.  A.  V.  Hinchman,  Mr. 
Temple's  brother-in-law,  and  administrator  of  his  estate,  sold  the  build- 
ing for  $15,000  to  a  syndicate,  which  afterwards  sold  it  to  the  county 
for  $2o,"x>o. 

At  first,  District  Judge  Benjamin  Ha>*es  held  court  on  the  first 
floor,  on  the  northeastemly  side  fronting  Temple  block,  and  in  the  mid- 
dle of  the  building. 

I  remember  vividly  an  exciting  trial  that  took  place  before  Judge 
Hayes  in  this  court  room  in  the  month  of  Deceinljer,  1863.  A  man  by 
the  name  of  Charles  Wilkins  had  murdered  in  cold  blood  John  Sauford, 
a  brolher-in-law  of  General  Banning,  on  the  road  between  here  and 
Fort  Tejon.  Wilkins,  who  by  his  own  confession  was  a  quadruple  mur- 
derer, was  caught  near  Santa  Barbara  and  brought  to  our  jail,  then 
where  the  People's  store  now  is.  A.  J.  King,  Tinder  Sheriff,  was  taking 
Wilkius  from  the  jail  to  the  court  room  when  a  brother  and    nepheiv  of 


RECOLLECTIOA'S  OF  THE  OLD  COURT  HOUSE. 


43 


his  \Hctim  came  forth  from  the  corrugated  iron  bouse  that  stood  on  the 
present  site  of  Central  block,  one  with  a  rifle  and  the  other  with  a 
double- barrelled  shot  gun;  but  there  was  such  a  crowd  of  people  iu  the 
street  that  it  was  impossible  for  them  to  shoot  him  without  hitting  others; 
but  Wilkiiis  broke  from  his  guard  and  Tan  into  the  adobe  on  the  west 
side  of  Spring  Street,  where  the  family  of  Jack  Trafford  lived,  and  hid 
under  a  bed.  He  was  soon  caught  and  brought  out  and  taken  to  the 
court  house  and  tried  by  Judge  Hayes.  The  trial  occapied  about  au 
hour,  the  prisoner  pleading  guilty  in  open  court  before  an  immense 
crowd ;  the  court  room  was  cleared  and  the  prisoner  was  ordered  back  to 
jail,  when  a  rush  by  the  excited  populace,  headed  by  Captain  fianuiug 
and  his  small  army  of  teamster!!,  was  made  into  the  court  room  and  the 
miserable  wretch,  who  showed  the  must  abject  fear,  was  seized  and  car- 
ried off  to  a  neighboring  gateway,  where  Lawyer's  block  now  stands, 
and  himg  by  as  determined  and  angry  a  crowd  of  men  as  it  was  ever  my 
lot  to  see.  I  remember  as  the  people  to4(k  him  across  Spring  Street  to 
Temple,  he  begged  that  they  wonid  shoot  him  and  not  hang  him-  -  but 
the  people  paid  \-eT>'  little  attention  to  his  appeals,  for  he  was  a  hardened 
villi  au  of  the  worst  class.  He  shot  John  Sanford  with  Sanfcrd's  own 
pistol  iu  the  back.  He  confessed  that  he  killed  Sanford,  who  was  an 
entire  stranger  to  him,  to  see  if  he  bad  money;  he  did  not  know  if  he 
had  any.  took  his  chances,  he  said,  nnd  killed  him  to  find  out.  He  fur- 
ther avowe<l  that  he  was  in  the  Mountain  Meadows  mas.sacre;  that  he 
afterwards  kilted  a  man  named  Blackburn  on  the  Mojave,  also  a  drover 
named  Carr  near  Vreka.  etc..  etc. 

He  said  be  stole  a  knife  and  pistol  from  the  Bella  tlnton  hotel  here 
some  time  1)efore  this  and  gai-e  them  to  a  young  man  named  Woods, who 
was  banking  about  to\vn.  and  told  him  to  go  out  on  the  road  and  earn 
his  living  like  a  man.  Woods  had  acted  on  his  advice  and  had  turned 
highwayman  here  in  the  streets  of  onr  city,  and  soon  after  was  hanged 
with  four  others  of  his  gang  in  front  of  the  jail,  Iu  fact,  murders  and 
highway  robberies  al>out  that  time  bad  become  so  frequent  and  so  bold 
that  the  people  were  compelled  to  rise  up  tn  self-defense  and  summarily 
exterminate  the  thie\*es,  thugs  and  assassins  who  were  pre>'ing  upon  the 
community. 

Wilkins  was  the  se\-entb  criminal  executed  by  the  people  inside  of 
a  month  in  this  cit>-.  Very  few  now  realize  the  state  of  afliiirs  that  ex- 
isted here  then.  The  hanging  of  Wilkins  seemed  to  end  the  chapter;  it 
cleared  the  atmosphere  wonderfully;  justice  had  been  done  without  any 
quibbles  or  e\'3sions  or  escape,  but  swift  and  sure;  the  people,  who  had 
been  stirred  up  by  intense  excitement,  quieted  down  as  if  by  magic;  and 
human  life  and  property  rights  from  that  time  on.  were  never  safer,  and 
peace  and  quietness  prevailed  for  a  long  time.     I   hove  deemed  it  pro^t 


I 


M        MSTORSCAL    SOCIETY    OF   SOVTaEXS   CAUFOKMIA. 

la  fl»7  Oiift  nocb  ia  TindkalioD  of  tbe  actan  in  Ow  accMS  of  tliat  daf- 
Vpchtkkf  Ae  osly  war  in  which  peo;4e  m  our  day.  who  coDdemn  all 
nfgUuKc  comnlttct*  and  all  revtdntaaos  cm  appredate  the  overwhdm- 
fo(  »od»t!>  wliicfa  inqid  taeo  to  take  put  in  socb  novcments,  imilil  be 
fortbcs  to  take  tbcpiMescf  those  whose  acts  tber  so  &«elr  critidse. 

Wbea  in  a  new  coontry.  manier  and  robbcrr  nm  riot,  and  reguUi 
mA  lecal  fMnediei  utterly  UiX  to  protect  society  and  stark  sRarchy 
ihraalCB*  its  very  ndsteoce.  tooety,  if  it  posMsse*  a  spark  of  virtue  or 
■laaiiia,  will  pixnect  iu^lf,  and  if  need  be,  by  summary  means.  M«it 
people  who  hare  been  through  these  experiences,  can  say  diat  it  » 
btttar  to  take  up  anns  against  an  anarchic  sea  of  trmbles  and  en<l 
(bcM,  even  by  aommar}'  methods,  than  to  let  them  conttnne  indefinttelyjM 
— faaoooe  chronic  and  unbearable.  " 

AmoDC  the  judges  who  held  coart  in  this  old  temple  of  justice  be- 

ridcajodge  Hayca,  were  Judges  Pablo  de  la  Goerra,  Wm.    G.    f>ryden. 

Uuny  llomaon.  R.  M.  Widncy.  Vgnacio  Sepuh-eda.  H.  K.  S.   O'Mel- 

«ny.  Voiney  B.  Howard,  A.  M.  Stephens,  Anson  Brunson,  A.  J.  King. 

Wm.  A.  Cfacney,  A.  W.  Hntton,  H.  M.  Smith,  etc..  before  aD  of  whom. 

m    tuny  caaea  of  great  magnitude  or  importance  were  tried. 

^^^    At  first,  courts  were  held  on  the  lower  floor  of  the  buildiug:  oAei- 

^^^■rds  they  occupied  the  upper  story,  and    the    various    other    county 

^^«oer«  were  housed  below.     Here,  for  many  years,  the  people  came  to 

do  buiineas  with  the  county  supeni*isor3.  clerk,  sheriff,   recorder,   aase»- 

•or,  etc.     Everybody  knew  these  officers  well,  because  everybody  had 

huirinew  with  !ht-iu.     Old  citizens  well  remember   County   Clerks  John 

W.  Slifjrc,  Thomas  D.  Holt.  Charles  R.  Johnson.    A.    W.    Potts    (.wh 

held  the  office  14  years),  J.  W.  Gillette,  C.  H,  Dunsmoor,  T.  H.  Wa 

G.  K    Miles,  etc.;  and  Sheriffs  Thomas  A.  .Sanchez.   J.    F.    Bums,  W 

liatu  R.  Rowland,  1).  W.  Alexander,  H.  W.  Mitchell.  M.    G.    Agui 

E.  Gibflon,  etc.,  and  many  other  count>'  oflScials,  who  administered 

afiaira  of  the  comity  for  their  respectiw  departments  in  this  old  Co 

house. 

Before  the  purchase  of  this  building  by  the  county,  much  incon- 
venience Wft«  experienced  by  the  public  because  the  courW  and  county 
officers  were  compelled  to  move  about  from  place  to  place.  accup>ing 
rented  quarters.  So.  as  the  county  business  increased  in  later  yeare 
very  rapidly,  the  old  courthouse  liecame  too  small,  and  the  additional 
courts,  which  were  created,  had  agam  to  seek  rented  quarters;  and 
aeain  the  ijcoplc  were  incon\-enienw«l  in  their  public  affairs,  till  ihey 
le  very  ready  to  vote  several  hundred  thousand  dollars  to  build  our 
ZL-  ciMumodious  courthouse  on  the  bill,  which,  it  is  hoped.  -^"  - 
imodate  the  county's  public  busines  for  many  years  yet  to  c 


coiuroodatt 


i 


RF.COLLECTtONS  OF  THE  OLD  COURT  HOUSE.  «^ 

The  basement  of  the  oU  tmilding  wa-s  uccnpiud  as  a  wine  cellar  or 
depository  by  Kohler  &  FrolUiiig  for  mauy  years.  DtJti  Ygnacio  Gar- 
cia, still  a  resident  of  this  city,  was  far  years,  ur  from  1849  tilt  1866, 
Mr.  Temple's  conlideiitial  clerk;  aud  after  the  death  of  Atr.  Temple  he 
continued  to  act  iu  a  similar  capacity,  eras  local  mana;^  of  the  estate 
under  Mr.  Hinchman,  the  administrator,  until  the  estate  was  settled  up. 
Gov.  Downey  btmjjht  the  block  t>earing  his  name  of  the  Temple  estate, 
I  Ijelieve  for  $16,000.  Two  lots  near  the  brick  school  house  on  the 
site  of  the  Brj-son  block  were  offered  to  a  friend  of  mine  by  the  agent 
of  the  estate  for  $75  each.  They  are  now  worth  probably  $2000  per 
front  foot. 

In  a  recent  inter\*iew  with  Mr.  Garcia,  which  I  sought  for  the  pur- 
pose of  verification  of  certain  data,  I  learned  other  tacts  which  are 
of  interest  iu  this  connection. 

Mr.  Temple  appointed  Mr.  A.  F.  Hinchmau  as  administrator  of  his 
estate,  and  as  after  his  death  Mrs.  Temple  desired  to  go  to  Paris  to  live 
with  her  daughter,  she  directed  the  adminiatrator  to  sell  all  the  property 
in  Los  Angeles  atid  .speedily  close  up  the  estate,  which  he  did  in  about 
six  months,  and  therefore  some  of  the  property  was  sold  at  prices  which, 
even  then,  seemetl  ver>*  low.  It  is  intercsiing  to  contrast  the  almost 
startling  difference  between  the  prices  rcnlized  then  and  tlie  prices  whkh 
the  same  property  could  be  sold  for  today,  even  without  the  added  im- 
provements. 

The  old  court  house  was  sold  for  $15,000:  Downey  blodc,  to  Gov- 
ernor Downey,  for  $i6,<jc)o;  Temp'i:  BliKik  and  lot  to  Y.  Garcia,  for 
$10,030.  This  included  the  portion  of  Temple  biLck  then  built  (nearest 
to  the  court  house),  and  the  balance  ot  the  lot  on  which  the  Temple 
block  now  stands.  This  property  Don  Ygnaciu  afterivards  sold  to  Mr. 
Temple's  brother,  Don  Francisco,  who  built  the  middle  and  northeastern 
portions  of  the  block,  removing  the  adobe  buildings  then  standing  on 
the  ground. 

Twent>--two  lots  between  First  and  Fourth  Streets,  aud  between 
Spring  and  Hill  Streets,  were  sold  by  the  estate  to  Bums  &  Buffum  for 
|J;5o  each,  and  several  lots  were  sold  for  J75  euch. 

At  one  time  (about '55  or  '36,1  Mr.  Temple  had  on  his  Cerritos 
rancho  over  15,000  head  of  cattle,  3000  hbrses  and  7000  sheep,  and 
branded  as  many  as  3500  calves  in  a  single  year. 

In  1857,  the  year  of  the  drouth,  he  bought  and  founded  the  Son 
Kmigdio  and  Consnclo  ranches,  in  Kern  County,  and  sent  7000  head  of 
cattle  there  to  "avc  them  from  stan-ation. 

In  his  lifetime,  Mr.  Temple  sold  Los  Cerritos  rancho,  of  27,000 
acres,  to  Flint,  Bixby  &  Co.,  for  $125,000.  Six  months  afterwards  they 
were  offered  and  refused  $500,000  for  the  same  rancho. 


4fi        HISTORICAL    SOCIETY   OF    SOUTHERN   CAUFORSIA. 

Although  the  Temple  estate  now  owns  no  property  in  Los  Angeles 
City  or  Coonty,  yet  tha«  are  many  things  here  and  beieaboats  besides 
the  <^  court  house,  which  will  soon  be  a  thing  of  the  past,  to  remind 
oar  people,  and  especially  our  older  citizens,  of  one  of  the  very  first 
American  iMcmeers  of  Los  Angeles — honest,  genial,  bluff  "Johnny" 
Temple. 


AMERICANS  AT   THE    BATTLE    OF  CAHUENOA. 


BV   FRANK   J.    POLl.KTf. 


[KHdOct.  1,  1894.] 

An  n-ent  that  at  6TSt  may  seem  unimportant, when  takeo  ia  connec- 
tion with  the  history  of  a  state  or  countr>',  may  yet  have  bad  such  a  de- 
cisive local  bearing  in  a  region  as  to  be  productive  of  important  future 
results  at  large. 

Through  the  kindness  of  Mrs.  De  Barth  Shorb,  I  have  been  allowed 
the  privilege  of  examining  some  records  left  by  her  father,  Don  Benito 
D.  Wilson,  that  place  the  battle  between  Micheitorena  aud  Castro  in  a 
somewhat  different  tight  than  the  historians  give  it.  P^ver>-  one  knows 
that  there  was  a  so-called  bloodless  battle  at  the  Cahuenga,  in  the  San 
Fernando  Valley,  in  February,  1845.  But  how  did  it  happen,  with  sev- 
eral hundred  men  on  each  side  fairly  well  armed,  aud  with  the  prize  of 
the  gortniment  of  the  State  to  be  then  and  there  decided,  that  no  blood 
was  shed  and  a  treaty  was  made  by  which  a  change  of  government  was 
effected? 

The  bloodless  conflict  made  Pio  Pico  Go^-emor  of  California  and  rid 
the  country  of  Micheitorena  and  several  hundred  unruly  fellows  who 
would  have  been  a  thorn  in  the  flesh  and  a  source  of  perpetual  strife. 
If  the  rabble  had  joined  Floces  in  the  later  fighting  a^ajust  the  Ameri* 
cans,  it  would  have  so  turned  the  balance  of  power  that  the  conquest  of 
the  State  would  have  been  a  very  much  more  difficult  thing  than  it  was; 
more  blood  would  have  been  shed,  and  the  propert>'  and  the  lives  of  for- 
eigners would  doubtless  ba^-e  been  freely  sacrificed  in  Southern  Califor- 
nia. The  men  imder  Wilson,  captured  at  Chino  prior  to  the  expulsion 
of  Gillespie's  force  from  Los  Angeles,  would,  in  all  probability,  have 
been  roas-sacred  had  some  of  Micheitorena 's  eholos  been  with  the  native 
forces  at  that  time. 

The  importance  of  the  foreign  or  American  element  in  these  stir- 
ring times  has  been  underestimated:  The  Americans,  g^crally.  were 
respected  inhabitants,  were  wealthy  in  land  and  cattle,  had  married  into 
good  families,  held  offices,  and,  moreox-er.  they  were  armed,  courage- 
ous and  united.  Before  the  actual  military  interference  of  the  United 
States  occurred,  they  were  recognized  as  important  factors  in   the  game 


48        HISTORICAL    SOCIETY    OF    SOUTHERN    CALIFORNIA. 


to  be  played,  even  while  the  "rtniggle  for  California  supremacy  was  od 
between  lU  nativ-c  rival  factions.  The  official  and  conciliaton'  conduct 
of  Pico  and  other  sagacious  men  of  the  native  party  prove  this, 

Vour  attention  is  directed  to  W'il*!on's  account  of  his  parley  with  the 
Americans  who  were  with  Michel torena's  forces,  and  how  he  said 
Michcltorena  lost  heart  and  gav*  up  the  contest  after  Wilson  and  others 
had  induced  the  Americans  from  the  north  to  withdraw  from  the  fight. 
All  historians  admit  tliat  the  Americans  did  witlidraw,  but  by  whose  in- 
fluence, how  and  why,  are  disputed  matters  of  local  history.  To  under- 
stand how  the  Americans  held  the  balance  of  power  it  is  necessary*  to 
know  the  iroubles  thai  di\-ided  the  native  party.  A  peculiar  state  of  af- 
fairs had  existed  in  California  for  several  s-ears.  the  culmination  of  which 
was  the  meeting  of  two  hostile  armies  on  the  plains  of  Cahuenga. 

Alvarado's  ill  health  cattsed  him  to  resign:  the  invasion  of  foreign- 
ers, home  troubles,  revenues  and  mission  contests  were  too  unpleasant  to 
be  endured.  The  Mexican  government  appointed  Jose  Manuel  Michcl- 
torena, in  1843,  to  be  Alvarado's  successor,  and  he  came  north  with  350 
men— nearly  all  convicts,  ragged,  dirty  and  filthy  in  bpdie^  and  morals. 
They  landed  at  San  Ilicgo,  and  caroused  and  robbed  as  they  wished. 
and  then  marched  northward  to  lyOsAngcle?,  where  they  continued  their 
depredations. 

Commodore  Jones  had  seixcd  Monterey, under  the  mistaken  informa- 
tion that  war  had  broken  out  between  Ibe  I'nited  Stales  and  Mexico. 
When  he  discovered  his  mistake,  he  made  due  apologies,  raised  the 
Meieican  flag  and,  later,  sailed  to  San  Pedro,  to  meet  Governor  Michcl- 
torena at  Los  Augetes,  lo  whom  he  made  ample  explanation.  All  this 
took  time,  and  meanwhile  Micheltorena's  cou\-icl  ciew  had  brought 
thenLselvcs  into  di-sgrace  at  Las  Angeles  aTid  set  the  city  against  them 
and  the  Govcruor.  Later,  at  Monterey  Michcltorena  began  a  course  of 
deceit  towards  its  leading  iuhabitauts,  and  of  indifference  to  the  acts  of 
his  rabble  that  lost  his  prestige  in  the  north.  He  disregarded  petition 
after  petition  asliing  that  hU  men  be  disciplined.  His  Lieutenant, Torres, 
tried  to  inflict  punishment  where  necessary,  but  the  Governor  stopr-cd 
him.  and  Torres  wns  s«>  angry  that  he  became  ill  of  a  bilious  fever.  The 
n'bberies  and  exces>«s  continued.  People  were  even  stripped  of  their 
clothes.  They  assaulted  whaling  captains  who  chanced  to  land  at  the 
fetefiil  port.  The  Governor  did  many  things  that  led  to  ill  feeling.  lie 
called  a  meetiug  oi  the  Assembly  and  gave  no  proper  notice  in  time  for 
Pico  and  the  southeru  members  to  be  present.  A  faction  eusued,  and 
I.«j>  Angeles  was  urged  for  the  location  of  the  capital.  The  meetings  of 
the  later  assemblages  were  somewhat  violent  as  to  threats  and  language 
used.  Ther?  was  sufficient  trouble  about  the  threatened  war  with  the 
Uailed    States    to  have  kept  tliem    at  peace,  but  Micbeltorena  meddled 


AMERICANS  AT  THE  BATTLE  OF  CAHUENGA. 

with  re\'enues,  missions,  salaries,  commerce  aud  marriages,  and  tuler- 
fered  with  so  many  personal  matters  of  tbe  [)eople  in  a  dictatorial  way 
that  a  revolt  took  place.  Then  he  signed  a  treaty  agreeing  to  ship  all  of 
his  conrict  army  back  lo  Mexico  within  three  months.  He  deliberately 
violated  this,  and.  in.stead,  intrigued  with  Sutter  to  bring  him  reinforce- 
ments from  the  north,  and  promised  laud  in  plenty  to  all  who  came. 
Castro  and  Alvarado,  leading  the  revolt  in  the  north,  came  to  Los 
Angeles  to  meet  this  new  move,  and  reached  here  January  31,  1845. 
Pio  Pico  convened  the  Assembly  and  listened  to  Castro's  story.  While 
Michttltorena  was  marching  on  Los  Angeles  with  Sutter,  the  con^-ention 
sent  an  cmbas5>'  to  him  at  Santa  Barbara.  He  was  so  insolent  that  upon 
its  return  the  Assembly  voted  to  depose  him,  elected  Pico,  and  then 
the  tiouthem  forces  under  Castro  marched  north  to  resist  the  invaders. 
The  two  armies,  of  about  300  each,  met  near  San  Fernando,  and  here 
the  80-calletl  blooilless  battle  took  place. 

The  question  is.  was  it  of  sjjccial  hiblorical  importance,  what  was 
the  relation  of  the  American  forces  wil!i  Michclturena,  and  to  whom  is 
credit  to  be  givvn  far  alienating  the  Americans  who  came  with  Michcl- 
torena  from  rendering  him  assistance.' 

Bancroft's  Fourth  Volume  purports  to  give,  in  foot  notes,  the  list  of 
authorities  who  describe  this  battle.  Almost  e\'eTy  person  in  it  has  been 
sought  out  and  induced  to  tell  his  separate  talc,  and  ^nich  a  mass  of 
contradictions  as  Bancroft'.^  summing  up  .shows  them  to  be,  surely 
were  never  before  gathered  together  from  men  who  purport  to  tell  what 
they  bad  seen;  but  he  neglect.^  to  set  out  the  evidence  itiielf  licfore  us. 
Bancroft  credits  Wilson's  account  as  highly  as  any:  and  as  the  history 
does  not  repro<luce  any  part  of  it  except  a  bald  abstract  of  one  passage, 
on  this  acctmnt  it  is  l>est  to  let  the  manuscript  speak  for  itself: 

"General  Micheltorena's  officers  and  men  were  well-known  to  the 
people  of  1,0s  Angeles  (for  they  had  been  here  several  months  before 
they  went  up  to  Monterey).  While  Micheltorena  and  a  iew  of  his 
officers  were  tmobjcctionable  men,  much  the  larger  number  of  them 
were  a  disgrace  to  any  civilizatiou;  they  bad  made  themselves  obnoxious 
by  thefts  and  other  outrages  of  a  most  heinous  nature. 

"When  it  was  known  that  a  revolution  had  broken  out  in  the  north 
again.st  Micheltorena  and  his  rabble,  and  that  he  and  his  men  were  on 
their  way  here  in  pursuit  of  the  Califoniia  revolutionary  classes,  the 
people  of  the  south  joined  the  mo\"eroent  with  great  ;Uacrity,  to  rid  the 
country  of  what  was  considered  a  great  :J*:ourge. 

"I  was  on   my  ranch  of  Jurupa  at  ihe   time,  in   the  early  part  of 

1845.  I  had  been  for  several  years,  aud  still  was.  acting  as  Alcalde  of 
the  district.  I  had,  at  first,  refused  to  accept  the  duties,  not  being  a 
citizen  of  Mexico.     I  was  not  obliged  to  perform   municipal  duties,  but 


^ 


so       HISTORICAL    SOCfETY    OF    SOUTHERN    CAUFORNIA 

al  the  request  of  friends,  and  for  the  development  of  my  own  int 
I  had  finally  consented  to  act,  and  was  acting  as  such  Alcalde,  when  an 
order  came  to  me  from  the  Prefect  of  the  district  (I  think  it  was  Abel 
Steams)  to  sttinmon  every  man  capable  uf  bearing  arms  in  my  district, 
and  to  gather  every  man  I  could  find  on  my  way  into  Los  Angeles.  I 
obeyed,  and  arrived  as  early  as  poesihle  with  some  twent>-  or  thirty  men, 
atid  found  cm  my  arrival  in  the  tunni  great  erccitement.  Almost  every 
man  I  knew,  among  them  John  Rowland  and  William  Workman  of  La 
Puente,  were  armed  and  determined  to  do  ever>'thing  in  their  power  to 
prevent  Micheltorena  and  his  scum  from  entering  Los  Angeks. 

"All  provisions  were  made,  and  ammuiiitiDu  prepared  that  night,  for 
vs  to  march  out  early  the  next  morning.  Accordingly  we  did  all  leave 
the  town  for  the  Cahuenga  Valley.  Mr.  Workman  had  some  Americans 
under  him.  We  joined  forces  without  regard  to  who  commanded.  Our 
joint  forces  of  foreigners  then  consisted  of  about  fifty  men,  determined 
to  gi\*e  the  enemy  a  regular  mountaineer  reception.  Although  Castro 
was  ostensibly  the  commanding  general  of  the  forces,  the  brothers 
Pico  (Governor  Pico  and  Andreas  Pico)  had  the  actual  control  of  the 
people  of  this  end  of  the  country.  We  arrived  in  the  valley  of  the 
Cahucnga,  and  Fio  Pico  heard  *hat  Michclloreiia  had  camped  the  night 
before  at  the  Encinos,  about  fifteen  miles  away.  We  took  our  positioa, 
and  awaited  the  enemy's  arrival.  This  was  about  noon.  Both  parties 
began  firing  Iheir  cannon  at  each  other  as  soon  3A  they  were  in 
sight.  1  think  there  svas  ito  one  killed  or  hurt.  One  horse,  I  believe, 
had  his  head  shot  oS*.  Mr.  Workman  and  myself,  having  learned  that 
the  Americans  and  other  foreigners, who  were  in  the  Micheltorena  party, 
were  commanded  by  some  of  our  old  personal  friends,  and  feeling  con* 
vinced  that  they  had  engaged  themselves  on  that  side  under  a  misappre- 
hension or  ill  ad\'ice,  and  that  nothing  was  wanting  but  a  proper  under- 
standing between  themselves  and  us  to  make  them  withdraw  from  Michel- 
torena and  join  our  party,  we  sent  out  a  native  Califoniian  to  reconnoiier 
and  ascertain  in  what  part  of  the  field  these  foreigners  ^■  ere.  He  soon 
obtained  the  desired  information  of  their  whereabouts.  It  was  al  once 
decided  between  Mr.  Workman  and  myself  that  I  would  approach  tliem, 
if  possible,  under  a  while  Hag,  as  I  bad  a  personal  acquaintance  with  the 
leaders.  Captain  Brandt,  and  Major  Btrnnot  (who  had  tieen  an  old 
army  officer  in  the  United  States  scr^-icc)  had  chief  command  of  the  for- 
eign force.  Mr.  James  McKinley  of  Monterey  volunteered  to  accom- 
pany me  with  a  white  flag.  They  were  stationed  in  the  same  ravine 
that  we  were  in.  but  about  a  mile  above  ns.  We  succeeded  in  getting 
to  the  point  we  started  for,  and  raised  our  white  flag,  at  which  moment 
we  were  fired  upon  by  the  cannon  loaded  with  grajie  shot,  but  no  one 
was  hurt,  and  we  had  gained  our  point;  the  Anjericans  on  the  other  side 


AMERICANS  AT  THE  BATTLE  OF  CAHUENGA. 


S« 


»d  seen  our  flag;  we  droppetl  liown  immediately  into  the  ravine  and 
raited  awhile  for  the  coming  of  some  one  troro  that  side.  Brandt,  Hens- 
ley  and  John  Bidwell  and  some  two  or  three  others  came  to  u&  I  at 
once  addressed  myself  to  theiu,  saying  that  they  were  on  the  wrong  side 
of  this  question,  and  made  the  following  statement:  'We  in  ihe  southern 
portion  of  California  are  settled;  many  of  you  are  settled,  and  others  ex- 

to  be  settled.  This  rabble  that  you  are  with  of  Michehorena,  are 
'nnfriendly  to  respectable  humanity,  and  especially  to  Americans.  The 
native  Califomians,  whose  side  we  have  espoused,  have  ever  treated  ns 
kindly.  If  the  Micheltorena  rabble  bold  their  owu  in  this  country,  that 
will  constitute  an  element  hostile  to  all  enterprises,  and  most  particu- 
larly American  enlerprize.'  Captain  Brandt  remarked  that  thus  far 
I  was  right;  that  be  could  see  the  point;  but  many  of  his  younger  men 
that  were  with  him  had  been  induced  to  join  Micheltorena  by  his  prom- 
ise to  give  them  land,  of  which  many  already  bad  deeds,  and  how 
Lwould  TXtn  Pio  Pico  feel  towards  these  young  men  and  their  land  grants 
'if  they  aided  to  raise  him  to  the  position  of  tiovenior  of  California? 
I  replied  that  on  the  same  morning  I  had  had  a  talk  with  Don  Pio  on 
lis  same  subject,  and  that  he  had  said  that  the  thing  could  easily  be  ar- 
inged;  furthermore,  that  Uou  Pio  was  there  where  I  could  have  him 
advised  of  what  was  going  on,  and  be  would,  iu  a  few  minutes,  join  us 
if  these  gentlemen  desired  to  see  him.  I  wa.';  asked  to  send  for  Gov- 
ernor Pico,  and  he  came  iu  a  few  moments. 

"I  knew,  and  so  did  Pico,  that  these  land  questions  were  the 
point  with  those  young  Americans,  before  1  started  on  ray  journey  or 
embassy,  (hi  Pico's  arrival  among  us  I,  in  a  few  words,  explained  to 
him  what  the  party  had  advanced.     He  said  this; 

" 'Gentlexncn,  .ire  any  of  you  citizens  of  Mexico?'  and  they  an- 
swered, 'No.*  'Then,  your  title  deeds  given  you  by  Micheltorena  are 
not  worth  the  pat)er  they  are  written  on,  and  he  knew  it  well  when  he 
gave  them  to  you;  but  if  you  will  abandon  the  Micheltorena  cause,  I 
will  giA*c  yon  ray  word  of  honor  as  a  gentleman  and  I>on  Benito  Wilson 
and  Don  John  Workman  to  carry  out  what  i  promise  you,  viz:  I  will 
protect  all  and  each  one  of  you  in  the  land  that  yon  hold  now  in  quiet 
and  pciccfnl  possession;  and  promise  you.  further,  thai  if  you  will  take 
the  necessary  steps  to  become  citizens  ot  Mexico.  I  will  use  my  author- 
it>-  under  the  laws  of  Mexico  and  will  issue  to  you  people  proper  titles.' 
He  al.so  added  that  they  need  not  hurry  themselves  to  become  citizens  of 
Mexico,  and  he  would  not  disturb  them  in  the  {xissc-u^ion  of  their  lauds; 
but  advised  that  they  should  become  such  citizens,  (or  then  their  titles 
would  become  valuable. 

"f  interpreted  to  them  what  Pico  had  said.  They  l>owed  and  said 
that  wa*!  all  they  asked,  and  promised  not  to  fire  a   gun  against  us,   at 


HISTORICAL    SOCIETY    OF    SOUTHERN    CAUFORNIA, 


the  same  time  expressed  Ibe  desire  of  not  being  asked  to  figbt  on  our 
side;  tbey  had  marched  down  with  the  other  party — to  which  we  all 
assented. 

"Brandt  and  hiscompanions  returned  tothetrcamp:  McKiuley  and 
myself  went  to  ours,  aud  the  Governor  to  his  headquarters.  Michel- 
torena  bad  discovered  (.how  I  do  not  know)  that  bis  A.mericaQS  bad 
abandoned  him.  About  an  hour  afterwards  be  raised  his  camp  and 
flanked  us  by  going  ftirther  into  the  valley  towards  San  Fernando, 
marching  as  though  he  intended  to  come  arouud  the  bend  of  the  river  to 
the  city.  The  Califomians  and  we,  the  foreigners,  at  once  broke  up  our 
camp  and  c»me  back  through  the  Cabueuga  Pass,  marched  througU  the 
gap  into  the  Feliz  ranch,  oo  to  the  Los  Angeles  River  till  we  came  into 
close  proximity  to  Michcltoreiia's  camp. 

"It  was  now  in  the  night,  as  it  was  dark,  when  we  broke  np  our 
camp.  Hercwc  waited  for  daylight,  and  some  of  our  men  commenced 
maneuvering  for  a  fight  with  the  enemy,  when  a  white  flag  was  discov- 
ered flying  from  Micheltoreua's  front.  The  whole  matter  then  vrent 
into  the  bands  of  negotiators  appointed  by  both  parties,  and  the  terms 
of  6ujreuder  were  agreed  upon,  one  of  which  was  that  Micbeltorena  and 
bis  obnoxious  officers  and  men  were  to  march  back  up  the  creek  to  the 
Cahuenga  Pass,  down  to  the  plain  to  the  west  of  Los  Angeles,  the  most 
direct  line  to  San  Pedro,  and  embark  at  that  point  on  a  vessel  then 
anchored  to  carry  them  back  to  Mexico. 

"After  that  campaign,  we  all  went  home  perfectly  satisfied  with 
the  result." 

This  is  all  I  have  been  able  to  collect  from  Mr.  Wilson's  papers  that 
relates  to  this  peailiar  event.  It  shows  plainly  that  the  Americans  in 
Southern  California  were  united  and  firm.  A  compact  body  of  fifty 
well-armed  American  citi7.ens  and  owners  of  some  property  in  a  country 
that  tbey  had  grown  to  like,  are  factors  not  to  be  neglected  in  a  contest 
where  only  atront  300  people,  not  fully  united,  oppose  them;  and  on  the 
part  of  Micbeltorena  the  defection  of  fort>'  men  of  a  race  akin  to  these 
Americans  was  a  severe  blow,  for  it  left  him  only  a  dissolute  rabble  of 
convicts  and  desperadoes  with  which  to  o^-erpower  a  body  of  men  fight- 
ing for  what  they  belie\-ed  to  be  political  libertj'  and  safety  from  an  in- 
vasion of  the  dissolute  classes,  such  as  tliey  had  formerly  experienced. 
These  two  well-armed  bodies  of  foreigners,  as  the  case  stood,  practically 
held  the  balance  of  power  when  they  united  and  exerted  a  pasitive  and 
a  negative  resi.'itiincc  to  MichcUorena's  plans. 

It  is  hardly  creditable  to  those  from  the  north  that  they  came  down 
to  fight  and  dispossess  a  populace  with  the  hope  of  acquiring  l;md;  but 
if  they  had  been  tricked  (for  the  land  law  was  as  Pio  Pioo  statc<l  it),  then 
tbey  did  ail  they  could  do,  by  withdrawing  from  a  bargain  when  the 
consideration  failed. 


AMERICANS  AT  THE  BATTLE  OF  CAHUBNGA. 


Another  tiling  to  be  noted:  Uul  men  such  as  Mtchcltorena  had,  are 
not  anxious  to  shed  their  blood  as  patriotic  heroes  are.  all  of  which  Cas- 
tro knew,  and  hence  there  was  no  necessity'  of  farcin};  the  tiattle  to  a  bloody 
when    diplomacy  and   delay   would  prove  truer   weapons.     Tliat 
'this  was  planned  seems  plain,  if  Wil&on  is  to  be  believed,  because  he  had 
previous  information  of  the  Americans  with    Micheltorena,  their  num- 
..bers,  names  of  officers,  and  their  objects   in   coming,  and   Wilson  and 
rPico  evidently  bad   rehearsed   their   part  in   the  day's  drama:  because 
Pico  had  promised  Wilson  in  advance  just  what   he   would   do   for   the 
Americans  from  the  north,  and  Wilson   said   that   Pico  was   in   waiting 
and    came  in  a  few  minutes,   when   sent  for,   and  closed    the  day's 
insactiDii. 

When  the  battle  is  reviewed  from  this  standpoint.  I  do  not  see  it  as 
a  matter  for  laughter,  but.  rather,  as  the  concerted  clever  effort  of  the 
Iwtter  classes  to  obtain  their  rights  without  bloodshed  and  the  hazard  of 
jbattle.  They  were  earnest,  alert  ^d  shrewd,  Ixrcause  Micheltorena' 8 
night  maneuver  did  not  outwit  them,  and  they  doubtless  would  have 
ibnght  had  he  not  surrendered.  They  had  a  ship  in  the  harbor  to  re- 
move the  rabble;  this  was  certainly  better  than  kilhng  a  few,  jailing 
some  and  paroling  the  rest. 

The  treatment  of  the  Americans  led  to  better  and  not  worse  lieel- 
ings.  and  when  Snwkton  appeared  later,  the  c«jn<nicst  of  Los  Angeles 
was  bloodless;  and  had  the  Commodore  not  made  the  mistake  of  lea\-ing 
Gillespie,  or  if  Gillespie  bad  been  a  man  of  moderation  and  tact,  I 
doubt  that  there  ever  would  have  lieen  occasion  for  the  subsciinent  events 
that  led  to  the  battle  of  the  Mesa  and  the  forcible  recapture  and  military 
government  of  Los  Angeles.  These  events  ought  to  have  been  wholly 
unnecessary.  Prior  to  this,  things  had  been  wisely  ordered;  Michel- 
torena's  crusade  against  foreign  settlement  had  failed;  Pico,  Castro  and 
the  rest  had  managed  their  part  with  skill  and  judgment,  and  when  the 
crisis  came  Castro  and  Pico  both  knew  tu  their  hearts  the  hour  had  come, 
and  quietly  made  way  for  the  American  life.  One  of  Pico's  last  official 
acts  was  to  summon  Wilson  to  him  and  ask  hb  assistance  in  securing 
justice  and  protection  for  the  native  populace.  It  was  done,  and  the 
first  ]»erson  to  ride  into  Los  Angeles  with  Commodore  Stockton  was 
Don  Benito  Wilson. 

These  facts  prove  to  me  that  American  influence  in  Southern  Cali- 
fornia as  a  political,  social,  and  even  municipal  power  has  beeu  under- 
rated. It  is  necessary  to  remember  that  Los  Angeles  was  a  small  place 
of  not  more  than  2000,  and  yet  the  largest  city  in  the  State;  that  there 
were  no  other  cities  in  Southern  California  between  it  and  San  Diego; 
that  the  land  was  all  owned  by  the  missions  and  a  few  rich  Eiunilies,  so 
that  the  small  fanner  who  now  makes  our   numerous  country  populace 


-S4        HISTORICAL    SOCtSTY    OF    SOUTHERN   CAUFORiXlA, 


was  then' almost  tinknown,  and  tfae  ranch  hands,  who  almost  belong 
-to  the  rich  ranches,  would  do  and  be  controlled  as  their  soUtary  feudal 
lords  dictated;  to  see  that  the  numbers  must  necessarily  be  small,  and  a 
few  land-holders,  men  of  courage  and  executive  ability,  easily  became 
dominant  factors  in  military  and  political  life. 

Add  to  this  that  the  resident   Americans  were  generally  well  liked 
and  were  inclined   to  clannishness  when   American   interests  were   at 
stake.     They  were  no  longer  mere  trappers  and   adventurers,   but  men 
•  of  decisive  character  who  had  come  to  make  a  home  and  acquire   land, 
with  a  faith  in  the  ultimate  future  of  the  country  the  native  Califomian 
was  too  indolent  to  even  dream   of.     These  Americans  had  their  eyes 
fixed  on  the  future  acquisition  of  this  State  as  an  absolute  neces-sity  for 
Western  interests.     The  crusade  against   the   foreigners  and   the  exclu- 
sion of  American  trade   had   been  practically  fought  out.     The  racial 
■enmity  was  about  over,  and  the  better  class  of  the  people  were  ready  to 
p»ccept  the  new  era. 

If  these  facts  are  candidly  considered  in  the  light  of  surrounding 
events,  this  "bloodless  battle,"  over  which  shallow  writers  make  merry, 
emerges  from  humor  and  becomes  serious  history,  marking  the  most  im- 
portant single  event  in  the  political  death  throes  of  a  people  who  were 
opposing  an  old  regime  to  the  new  birth  of  American  power  In 
California. 


PIO  PICO. 

1A    filOGBAPHICAI.    AND    CHAKACTBR    SICRTCH    OP    THH    LAST    UBXICAH 
GOVERNOX   OP   ALTA   CALIFORNIA. 


BV   HKNRV   D.    BARROWS. 


tXcftd  Npv,  5.  1S94  ] 


The  life  of  Pio  Pico  extended 


over  the  greater  part  of  the  nineteentta 
century,  or  from  1801  to  1894.  He  was  bom  at  the  mission  of  San 
Gabriel,  May  5.  1801 ;  and  he  died  in  the  city  of  Los  Angeles,  Septem- 
ber II,  1894,  at  the  advanced  age  of  93  years. 

His  father.  Jose  M.  Pico,  was  Sergeant  of  a  cavalry  company 
stationed  at  San  Diego.  He  came  from  the  city  of  El  Fucrle,  Sinaloa, 
as  an  escort  to  San  Luis  Re>',  at  the  time  of  the  founding  of  that 
mission,  in  1795;  he  died  at  San  Gabriel  in  1819.  The  maiden  name  of 
Don  Pio's  mother  was  Maria  Kustaquia  Gutierrez;  she  died  in  1S46. 
Don  Pio  was  one  of  ten  children — three  boys  and  seven  girls.  His 
eldest  brother,  Jose  Antonio,  and  a  sister,  Concepciou,  were  bom  before 
the  family  came  to  Alta  California:  the  former  of  these  served  as  a 
soldier  at  San  Diego,  where  be  rose  to  be  Lieutenant,  and  later  he 
served  under  Vallejo  at  Monterey;  he  afterwards  died  at  vSanta  Margarita. 
The  sister,  Coucepcion,  married  Domingo  Carrillo  of  Santa  Baibara. 
Pio,  as  before  noted,  was  bom  at  San  Gabriel,  in  tSot;  a  sister,  Maria, 
or  Mariquita,  was  bom  there  in  1804;  she  married  an  Ortega.  Another 
sister,  Ysidora,  was  born  at  San  Dicgo,  in  iSos  or  1809;  and  she  married 
Don  Juan  Korster,  a  native  of  England;  she  and  her  busbtuid  died  in 
i88a;  and  Andres,  the  youngest  brother,  and  aLso  a  historic  character  in 
California  aunals,  was  born  in  1810,  at  San  Diego.  Don  Andres,  who, 
at  the  head  of  the  Califomians,  bravely  fought  Fremont  and  his  battal- 
ion at  the  time  of  the  conquest,  and  was  bis  good  friend  afterwards,  was 
State  Senator,  Brigadier -General,  etc..  under  American  rule,  and  was  a 
capable  and  very  popular  man;  he  died  se\'erai  years  ago. 

In  a  dictation  of  reminiscences  made  by  Don  Pio  in   1881  to  the 


56        HISTORICAL    SOCIETY    OF    SOUTHERN    CAUFORNIA, 

writer,  he  said  that  the  earlier  ye«rs  of  his  life,  or  till  about  1849,  were" 
mostly  spent  in  San  Diego;  and  that  be  still  remembered  some  of  the 
old  settlers  there  in  1813  and  subseqently,  whom  he  named:  Jose 
Polanco,  Jose  M.  Romero.  S.  ^'alenzuela,  Ouitlermo  Cota,  Krancisco 
Javier  Alvarado.  Juan  dc  Dios  Ballcstcro,  —  Hoyoreno.  Mariano  de  la 
hut,  Antonio  M.  Lugo,  Kugcnio  Valdez,  Jose  M.  Verdugo,  Sergeant 
Cristoval  Dominguez,  Ctatidio  Lopez,  and  others,  nearly  all  of  whom 
were  the  ancestors  of  the  numerous  iamilics  of  the  same  name,  respect- 
ively, now  living  in  this  aud  other  counties  of  Southeni  California. 

In  a  manawript  (in  Spanish)  of  I>on  Pio's.  which  he  pennitted  me 
to  translate  from,  in  iSSi,  he  has  recorded  some  interesting  recollections 
of  the  olden  times.     In  this  paper  he  says: 

"I  remember  that  in  iSto,  my  father  was  put  in  prison  on  account 
of  the  talk,  tn  the  company  of  which  he  was  Sergeant,  of  Mexican  inde- 
pcndence,  a  question  which  was,  even  then,  much  agitated  throughout 
Mexico.  He  was  released,  after  a  few  days,  through  the  influence 
of  the  missionary  fathers,  but  the  soldiers,  Ramon  Rubio.  Jose  M.  Lopez, 
and  one,  Caftedo,  and  an  artilleryman.  Ygnacio  Zuniga,  were  k«pt  in 
confinement,  each  with  two  pairs  of  irons  (gri/Ios),  the  two  first-named 
dying  in  prison  and  ZuHiga  remaining  there  in  irons  until  Mexican  inde- 
pendence was  established,  in  iSai." 

He  mentions  in  this  manuscript  his  remembrance  of  the  great  earth- 
(|uake  of  1S12,  which  destroyed  the  San  Juan  church,  and  which  was 
also  \'ery  severe  at  Santa  Barbara;  that  his  father  was  sent  to  San 
Gabriel  to  put  down  a  rising  of  the  neophytes  in  rSiS;  and  that  he  was 
recalled  to  San  Diego  the  same  year,  on  account  of  the  appearance  at 
that  port  of  Bouchard's  pirates.     Continuing,  he  says: 

"After  the  death  of  my  father  I  had  to  overcome  many  diflicnl ties  to 
move  my  mother  and  brother  and  sisters  tu  the  Presidio  ol  San  Diego, 
where  my  sister  lived  who  was  married  to  the  Lieutenant  of  the  com- 
pany stationed  there. 

"In  1S21  I  was  employed  by  my  brother-in-law,  Jose  Antonio  Car- 
rtUo,  to  take  twenty-five  barrels  of  liquor  to  the  northern  part  of  the 
Territory  to  distribute  to  the  fathers  at  the  missions,  as  a  particular 
present  to  them  from  him,  the  same  being,  at  that  time,  liquor  of  the 
first  quality.  Senor  Carrillo  was  then  one  of  tlie  most  influential  and 
capable  men  in  California.  At  that  ejioch  his  lirotber,  Don  Anastacio 
Carrillo,  Sergeant  of  the  company  stationed  at  Santa  Barlwra.  was  also 
living  here  in  the  Pueblo  as  Commissioner  to  see  tliat  justice  was  prop- 
erly administered  by  the  persons  appointed  as  Alcaldes  of  the  Pneblo. 
The  Commissioner  lived  in  the  house  of  the  Curate — "Casj  Curd/"— near 
tiie  (old)  Catholic  Church.  This  house  exists  to  this  day,  and  is  known 
fay  that  name.     He  and  Jose  Antonio  lived  together  as  brothers. 


PiO  PICO. 


St 


"Being,  as  I  said,  charged  lo  lake  the  liquor  up  the  country,  I  con- 
tracted with  an  old  mau  (kh  aticiano)  named  Kncamacion  Uniaidez, 
graudiather  of  Mrs.  Go\-ernor  Downey,  for  twcnt>'-fivc  mules,  and  en- 
gaged three  men,  citizens  of  the  Pueblo.  ...  On  my  way  north- 
ward I  made  a  short  visit  to  the  Presidio  of  Monterey,  accompanied  by 
a  cousin,  Jesus  Pico  (the  same  who,  in  after  years,  had  the  exciting  in- 
ddentwith  Fremont).  The  first  house  I  visited  was  that  of  Don  Ygnacio 
Vallcjo,  father  of  the  \'aUejos  of  the  north.  I  then  paid  my  respects  to 
Governor  Viucenle  Sola,  u'ho  received  me  wiih  much  courtesy  and 
kindness  {^amabUidad);  only  he  was  surprised  to  see  me  wearing  a  mili* 
tary  uniform.  I  explained  to  him  that  my  ^ther  had  died  whilst  in  the 
military  service,  leaving  his  uniform  to  me,  and  that  therefore  I  was  by 
right  entitled  lo  use  it  iu  the  form  be  left  it.  I  remember  that  on  my 
reply  he  drew  near  to  me,  and.  placing  his  hand  on  my  shoulder,  he 
said  to  me  that  1  could  enjoy  my  military  privileges  ifwro  militar);  and 
be  gave  me  a  recommendatory  letter  to  the  Commondoute  at  San  Diego, 
who  reported  in  my  favor,  and  i  was  afterwards  appointed  Lieutenant  of 
the  militia." 

Don  Pio  went  from  Monterey  to  San  Jose,  where  he  was  received 
and  entertained  at  the  house  of  Don  Manuel  Pacheco,  througU  the  rec- 
ommendatiou  of  his  uncle,  Don  Dolores  Pico,  retired  Sergeant  of  a 
Monterey  company,  who  had  settled  at  the  Kaucbo  Nadonal;  aad  he 
gives  many  details  of  his  visit  to  San  Jose,  which  are  too  long  to  insert 
here:  but  he  concludes  with  this  interesting  item: 

"Mrs.  Pacheco  (wife  of  Don  Manuel)  had,  at  that  time,  'passed  her 
fiftieth  Christmas' (as  some  ca^^Ilier  phrased  it),  but  she  had  retained 
her  beanty,  so  that,  by  the  general  voice,  she  was  known  as  the  most 
beautiful  lady  of  that  section,  and  by  some  she  was  called  'the  Flower 
of  the  North."* 

The  following  is  Don  Pio's  interesting  account  in  full  (portions  of 
which,  only,  have  been  heretofore  published)  of  the  '"Briugas  affair": 

"In  the  year  182S  I  wasappoiuted  Secretary  iu  a  suit  which  Captain 
Pablo  de  la  Portilla  came  (from  San  Diego  to  Los  Angeles),  by  order  of 
General  Jose  M.  Kcheandia,  to  tr>-,  against  a  Mexican  citizeu  named 
Luis  Bringas.  We  arrived  at  the  Pueblo,  and  the  Captain  established 
his  office  in  a  building  on  the  site  of  the  present  jail  (uow  the  Phillips 
block,  on  North  Spring  Street),  owned  by  Antonio  Rocha,  a  Portuguese. 
The  next  day  Bringas  was  cited  and  appeared  before  Captain  de  la 
Portilla.  Being  asked  what  he  had  to  say  to  the  charges  brought  by  the 
Captain,  he  refused  to  answer  or  plead,  saying  that  no  Mexican  citizen 
ought  to  answer  before  any  mililaty  authority  iy  que  wmo  mi'lilar,  le 
(omponia  hnio  como  sifuera  la  sueUa  de  su  lapato),  and  that  it  would  be 
a  very  great  outrage  for  a  civilian  to  be  tried  by  a  military'  tribunal;  that 


58        HISTORICAL    SOCIETY    OF    SOtlTIIERN    CALIFORNIA. 


Mexican  citizens  constituted  the  sacred  base  i,ha%a  sagrada)  of  the  na- 
tion; that  it  wns  the>-  who  formed  the  nation,  aud  not  the  military;  and 
that  for  these  reasons  he  refnsed  to  answer  (dflr/jrur).  Seeing  that  be 
was  resolute,  Captain  de  la  PortiUa  determined  to  place  the  refusal  of 
Bringaa  before  the  General  Commandante  at  San  Diego.  His  com- 
mtmication  to  this  effect  having  been  prepared,  I  offered  to  carry  the 
documents,  and  I  left  immediately  for  San  Diego,  where  I  placed  the 
same  in  the  hands  of  the  Commandante,  I>ou  Jose  M.  Estudillo;  he  re- 
ceived and  hurriedly  examined  them,  when  he  ordered  me  to  retire  to 
my  residence,  and  to  return  the  next  day  at  to  a.  m.,  to  take  back  bis 
answer. 

"HaWng  myself  learned,  meanwhile,  the  purport  of  the  allegations 
of  SefloT  Briiigas,  and  understanding  the  rights  which  he  showed  that 
Mexican  citizens  possessed,  I  was  so  impressed  thereby  that  on  the  next 
day,  wheti  I  presented  myself  liefore  the  Coniniaudantc,  Estodillo,  T  was 
resolved  to  make  known  my  rights  as  a  citizen,  which,  in  effect,  J  did. 

"On  appearing  before  the  Commaudau'.e,  lie  deli^'cred  tu  mc  the 
documents,  with  the  order  for  me  to  talce  them  back  to  Los  Angelea  to 
Captain  de  la  PortiUa.  I  refused  to  obey  the  order,  alleging  that  I  was 
a  citizen,  aud  that  therefore  the  miHUry  authorities  had  no  jurisdiction 
over  me.  Whereupon  I  was  thrown  into  prison,  where  1  iemai!i«d  one 
day  and  one  night. 

"The  next  day  the  Commandante  called  me  before  him.  and  I  had 
the  satifaction  of  being  publicly  set  at  liberty.  From  that  dale  I  began 
to  know  the  sacred  rights  of  a  citizen." 

The  following  is  a  condensation  of  Pico's  account  of  the  revolution 
of  1831.  Although  ba\ing  been  a  member  of  the  Diputacinu,  or  Terri- 
torial Assembly,  in  the  year  1831.  and  ha\-ing  puWishctl  an  address  to 
General  Victoria  in  which  he  showed  that  the  Dtputacion  in  that  year 
was  ill^al,  and  for  that  reason  had  no  right  to  act  as  such;  but  consid- 
ering himself  as  having  U-gitimate  rights  as  a  citizen,  he  supplemented 
said  address  by  another  communication,  in  which  he  showed  the 
erf  the  Territory  General  Victoria's  short-comings.  "The  result  w« 
says  Pico,  "that  the  General  was  vcrj'  angry,  and  he  resolved  to  put  m^' 
down,  and  threatened  to  hang  me.  Knowing  then  positively  that 
entertained  such  intentions,  I  gathered  such  opposition  as  I  could: 
vited  the  co-operation  of  Jose  .\.  Carrillo  (who  had  been  !> 
this  same  General  Victoria,  to  Lower  CaUfornia),  an^i  of  Inn 
We  three  fonneda  plan  and  drew  upa  ■prottutu-uin:.  ri 
which  we  issued  November  30,  1831.  Twelve  cii 
Califomians.  joiner!  us;  also  Don  Abel  Slcan 
who  had  been  ordered  out  of  the  country  to 
said  Victoria.     It  so  happened  that  the  w 


P!0  PICO. 


\y  of  San  Diego, which  was  to  hare  taken  Steams  to  Mazatlan,  instead, 
a  little  later,  took  the  official  who  banished  him,  namely,  General  Victo- 
ria himself.  We  gained  the  adhesion  of  the  oEBcials  of  all  the  military 
coni]>anies,  which  were;  the  company  of  Mazatecos,  and  the  companiea 
of  cnvalr>'  and  of  artillery  then  stationed  at  San  Diego. 

"General  Echcandia,  who  had  been  relieved  of  his  command  by 
Victoria,  being  then  in  Saa  Diego,  placed  himself  at  the  head  of  the 
re\*olutionarj'  force  and  despatched  fifty  men  under  Captain  de  la  Portilla 
to  Los  Angeles  with  directions  to  arrest  and  imprison  the  Alcalde,  Don 
Vwcentc  Sanchez,  and  set  at  liberty  various  citizens  who  were  held  as 
prisoners  there. 

"When  Captain  de  la  Portilla 's  force  arrived  at  Los  Angeles,  he  car- 
ried out  the  order,-!  of  his  superior,  thrnsting  the  Alcalde,  Sanchez,  in 
jail  and  setting  at  liberty  the  imprisoned  citizens. 

"The  next  day  an  engagement  took  place  between  de  la  Portilla's 
force  and  that  of  General  Victoria  (which  had  come  from  Monterey), 
west  of  the  city,  the  Beld  remaining  in  pos.se5siou  of  Victoria,  with  the 
lamentable  loss  of  two  good  citizens,  namely,  Jose  Maria  Abila  and 
Captain  Pacheeo,  and  the  serious  wounding  of  General  Victoria.  After 
the  engagement  the  General  retired  with  his  force  to  the  mission  San 
Gabriel,  where  he  resigned  his  authority  to  Captain  de  la  Portilla.  who 
gave  an  account  of  the  capitulation  to  General  I-^heandia.  The  latter 
at  once  set  out  for  Los  Angeles,  where  he  arrived  three  days  after  the 
surrender  took  place.  Echcandia  dispatched  General  \'ictoria  to  Sau 
iHego,  where  he  was  placed  on  board  of  a  \'essel  which  took  him  to 
Mazatlan." 

Owing  to  the  \-acanc>-  in  the  office  of  Governor,  caused  by  the 
resignation  of  Victoria,  Don  Pio,  as  senior  memlierof  the  Assembly,  be- 
came Governor  in  Januarj*.  1832,  and  served  till  January.  1833.  In 
fact,  he  was  a  member  of  the  Territorial  Diputacion,  continuuusb',  from 
1S38  to  1841  or  '42.  He  was  succeeded  in  the  gufieruaturial  office  by 
Governor  Jose  Figucroa.  in  1833. 

In  1834  Governor  Pico  married  Maria  Vgnacio  Alvarado.  They 
had  no  children.     She  died  many  years  ago. 

Don  Pio  also  held  the  oQlce  of  Administrator  of  Sau  Luis  Rey  Mis- 
sion from  1834  to  1840. 

In  1841  he  received  grants  of  the  ranches  of  Santa  Margarita  and 
Las  Ftores. 

On  the  downfall  of  Micheltorena,  in  1S45,  Pio  Pico,  as  President  of 
the  Assembly.  Iiecame  temporary  Governor,  February  22;  he  was  con- 
6rmed  by  the  Mexican  government,  and,  April  18,  1846.  he  took  the 
oath  of  office  as  constitutional  Govenior.  aud  continued  to  perform  the 
functions  of  that  office,  till  August,    1S46,  when  I.oci  Angeles,  the  ca^i- 


%»       HiSTORtCAL    SOCIETY    OF    SOUTZ/EftiV    CAUFQRNIA. 

tal  of  the  province,  was  captured  by  the  American  forces  and  the  author- 
ity of  Mexico  and  of  the  local  Mexican  civil  officers  in  California  finally 
came  to  an  end.  Govenior  Pico  left  Los  Angeles,  and  went,  by  way  of 
Lower  California,  to  Sonora.  After  the  close  of  the  war  he  returned.  I 
believe,  in  1848,  and,  accepting  the  ioeWtable.  he  became  thereafter  a 
l^ood  American  citizen,  makiu^  his  home  mostly  at  beautiful 
"Rancliito,"  till  he  was  ejected  therefrom  by  ihe  hard  baud  of  the  law, 
two  or  three  years  ago,  when  be  was  offered  an  asylum  in  the  house  of 
bis  old  friend  of  more  than  axty  years'  standing.  Cot.  J.  J.  Warner, 
southwest  of  this  city,  where  he  continued  to  reside  titi  shortly  before 
bU  death,  when  he  caiue  into  the  city  in  order  to  better  avail  himself  of 
neccssar>'  medical  attendance. 

In  the  early  sei-enties  Governor  Pico  built  and  equipped  the  "Pico 
House."  which  then  was  the  largest  and  most  commodious  hotel  in  the 
city. 

I  do  not  kuow  that  I  shall  1>e  able  to  persuade  EuRlish-speaking 
people  to  soc  Pio  Pico  as  those,  Iwih  Americans  and  native  Califomians. 
who  knew  him  best,  saw  him.  Uancrolt,  who  was  not  particularly 
friendly  to  him.  says  most  truly,  as  all  who  kuow  him  well  will  aver: 
"Pio  Pico  is  a  man  who  has  been  abused  far  beyond  his  deserts."  And, 
again,  he  says  of  him;  "Not  much  fault  can  be  found  with  his  mission 
policy;  he  did  not.  as  has  been  charged,  run  away  in  1846  with  large 
sums  of  money  obtained  by  illegal  sales  of  mission  estates;  he  had  a 
perfect  right  to  favor  his  friends  by  land  grants  in  the  last  days  of  his 
power,  and  to  prefer  that  California  should  fall  into  English  rather  than 
American  possession.  That  he  seems  to  have  antedated  some  land 
grants,  after  bis  return  in  1848,  is  the  most  discrediUblc  feature  of  bis 
record;  yet,  my  study  of  land  litigation  leads  me  to  hesitate  in  condemn- 
ing or  exonorating  any  official  or  citizen,  native  or  pioneer,  on  charges 
originating  in  that  roost  unjathomabk pool  of  corruption." 

Since  the  death  of  Governor  Pico,  hLsold  friend, Colonel  Warner,  who 
was  intimately  acquainted  with  bis  character  for  so  many  years,  told  me 
that  he  had  long  intended,  o\'er  his  own  signature,  to  defend  Don  Pio 
against  what  he  considered  two  of  the  most  unjust  charges  that  have 
been  made  against  him.  namely:  (i>  That  he  issued  land  grants  after  he 
left  Los  Angeles  in  August,  1846;  and  (2)  that  he  gave  contradictory 
testimony  before  American  courts.  And  Colonel  Warner  (now  87  years 
of  age)  further  charged  me,  in  case  he  were  unable  to  make  his  defense 
before  he  died,  that  I  should  do  it  for  him.  Inasmuch  as  I  thoroughly 
agree  with  Colonel  Warner's  \-iews.  as  somewhat  fully  expressed  to  me, 
on  these  two  points,  I  the  more  readily  reproduce  them  here.  Although, 
as  all  the  world  knows,  it  is  not  easy  to  pro^'C  a  negative,  still,  a  some- 
what intimate  knowledge  of  Don  Pio's  character — extending,  in  my  ow» 


PIO  PICO. 


case,  over  nearly  forty  years,  and  in  the  case  of  Colonel  Warner  over 
more  Ihan  sixty  years— ought  to  enable  us  to  form  a  reasonably  reli- 
able judgment  as  to  whether  he  was  capable  of  committing  the  rcpre- 
henablc  acts  with  which  he  has  been  charged,  which  acts,  many  Amer- 
icans, who  did  not  know  the  man,  seem  willing  to  believe  he  was  respon- 
sible for.  If  such  acts  were  charged  against  any  American  Governor 
whom  tbey  knuw  well,  they  would  not  be  so  ready  to  believe  that  they 
were  troe. 

That  Governor  Pico  continued  to  issue  land  grants  in  a  perfectly 
legal  manner,  under  the  land  laws  of  Mexico,  until  shortly  before  the 
capture  of  Las  Angeles  by  the  American  forces,  and  after  the  capture  of 
'Monterey,  is.  1  have  no  doubt,  very  true — as  why  should  he  not?  Los 
Angeles  was  then  the  capital, and  the  Govenior  and  other  Territorial  officers 
continued  to  perform  here  all  their  ordinary  official  functions  In  a  per- 
fectly regular  manner  for  more  than  a  month  after  Commodore  Sloat 
raised  the  American  flag  over  the  custom  house  at  Monterey— that  is, 
from  July  7  till  August  12,  1846,  on  which  latter  date  Governor  Pico 
left  Los  Angeles,  and  finally  ceased  to  act  as  Gtfe  Politko  of  California, 
an  office  whose  duties,  up  to  that  time,  he  was  as  strictly  entitled  to 
perform  under  Mexican  law  as  he  certainly  was  under  international  law. 
As  Colonel  Warner  truly  says,  there  would  have  been  as  little  reason  fai 
holding  that  the  capture  of  Mexico  should  date,  under  international  law, 
from  the  crossing  of  the  Kio  Grand  by  General  Taylor's  army;  and  that 
all  official  acts  of  the  dvil  go\'emnient  of  Mexico  after  that  date  and 
^^or  to  the  capture  of  the  capital  should  be  held  as  null  and  void,  as  to 
hold  that  California  was  captured  before  the  taking  of  Los  Angeles,  the 
capital  of  the  Territory,  by  our  forces,  and  the  dispersion  or  capture  of 
the  regularly  constituted  authorities  thereof;  and  that  all  their  official 
acts  after  July  7  and  before  August  rs,  r846,  were  null  and  void. 

If  this  point  is  well  taken— and  it  must  so  commend  itself  to  all 
just  minds-the  holding  by  our  government  as  void  all  the  official  acta 
of  the  Pico  administration  after  the  7ih  of  July  and  prior  to  August  12th 
was  contrary  to  internationallaw  and  to  right  and  justice;  and,  conse- 
k'jQuently,  all  charges  against  the  lawful  acts  of  the  Pico  administration, 
Or  of  Governor  Pico,  performed  in  good  faith  during  that  interval,  fall  to 
the  ground. 

More  than  that,  this  unjust  decision  of  our  government,  which  was 
but  a  mere  brutum  fulmen  of  a  conquering  power,  without  any  sanction 
of  right,  worked  a  great  wrong  on  pri\'ate  parties  who  received,  prior  to 
August  12,  1846.  lawful  grants  of  land;  and,  besides,  it  cast  a  very  un- 
just reBection  on  the  rightful  official  acts  of  a  man  who,  in  the  opinion 
of  those  who  know  him  well,  was  incapable  of  intentionally  wronging 
any  living  being. 


HISTORICAL    SOCIETY    OF    SO(/THER.\    CAUFORmA. 


Colonel  Wamer,  basing  his  opinion  chiefly  on  bis  thorough  knowl- 
edge of  the  character  of  Go^'enior  Pico,  as  an  ofBcer  and  as  a  man,  told 
me  with  the  utmost  earnestness  that  he  did  not  believe  that  Pio  Pico 
ever  signefl  bis  name  as  Ooveruor  to  a  grant  of  one  foot  of  public  laud 
after  be  le(l  I^os  Angeles  on  the  iztb  day  of  August,  1846;  and  that  all 
alleged  grants  issued  d/Z^r  that  date,  either  in  1848  or  at  anytime  and 
antedated,  pretending  to  bear  his  signature  and  rubric,  are  sheer,  abso- 
lute forgeries.  Of  course  the  personal  opinions  of  Colonel  Wamer  and 
many  others,  both  Califomians  and  Americans,  who  had  almost  a  life- 
long acquaintance  with  Dun  Pio.  are  not  positive  proof,  in  a  case  of  this 
kind,  altliough  to  their  own  minds  their  convictions  come  as  near  cer- 
tainty as  would  tbe  convictions  of  thousands  of  citizens  who  knew  Gov- 
ernor l>owney  or  Governor  Stoncman  well,  approach  certainty,  that 
they,  neither  of  them,  t\t.z  falsified  a  public  document  or  signed  an 
official  document  as  Goi'emor  after  the  expiration  of  their  terms  of  ofijce, 
although  it  might  be  impossible  for  those  who  Iwlieve  thus  to  positi\'ely 
prove  that  they  never  committed  such  heinous  acts.  If  the  Governors 
named  were  chirged  with  anything  of  tfai^i  kind^which  they  never 
were— those  who  knew  them  well  would  simply  say:  "Ihey  were  incapa- 
ble of  such  acti!"  And  this  is  exactly  what  Colonel  Warner  and  others 
say  of  Go\'emor  Pico;  their  intimate  knowledge  of  his  public  and  pri- 
vate character,  extending  over  many  years,  excludes,  to  their  minds, 
tbe  possibility  uf  his  ever  having  done  these  dishonorable  things  which 
his  enemies  have  charged  against  him. 

Couccniing  the  second  serious  charge — that  Governor  Pico's  testi- 
mony in  early  "laud  litigation"  (of  which  liancroft  speaks  so  contemp- 
tuously) liefure  the  I^ud  Commist^ion  and  before  the  Federal  Courts,  is 
contradictory  Colonel  Warner  is  of  the  opinion  that  this  apparent  dis- 
crepancy is  fully  accounted  for  in  the  following  manner:  At  the  early 
•period  when  Don  Pio,  who  knew  nothing  of  tlie  English  language,  or  of 
the  methods  of  procedure  in  American  courts,  was  called  upon  to  give 
his  testimony,  it  was  not  easy  to  find  iiersons  who  thoroughly  understood 
both  the  English  and  the  Spanish  languages,  much  less  the  accurate 
etiuivaleuts  in  either  tongue,  of  the  technical  terms  incident  to  both  the 
well-dc5ned  but  entirely  dissimilar  land  systems  of  Mexico  and  the 
United  States,  or  who  were  familiar  with  the  multiplicity  of  legal  terms 
pertaining  to  both  Spanish  and  English  jurispnidcnce,  Now  when  Gov- 
enior  Pico's  testimony  (given  in  Spanish)  was  translated  into  lingiisji, 
he  hud  no  means  of  knowing  whether  it  was  correctly  rendered  or  nc 
very  likely  the  judges  themselves  were  not  well  enough  versed  in  Span-' 
Uh  to  be  able  always  to  distinguish  if  niceties  and  shades  of  meaning  as 
given  in  one  language  were  truly  reproduced  in  the  other;  in  short,  iXm 
Pio  did  not  and  could  not  know  what  he  was  made  to  say — what   his 


testimony  was  made  to  appear  in  KugUsb.  and  in  an  American  court:  and 
if,  05  would  be  the  most  natural  thing  in  the  world,  be  was  made  by 
misinterpretation  or  b>'  defective  interpretation,  to  say  things  which  he 
did  not  say,  or  not  to  say  things  which  he  did  say.  what  chance  had  he 
to  correct  the  same? 

Again:  It  is  wellknowu  that  there  are  many  attorneys,  when  large 
interests  are  at  stake  and  large  gains  are  to  be  made  by  such  tactics, who 
are  not  above  taking  ever>'  possible  advantage  of  a  witness  by  confusing 
him  and  making  him,  if  possible,  contradict  himself.  And  who  would 
be  so  utterly  defenseless  in  their  hands  as  one  who  knew  nothing  of  the 
language  of  our  courts?  And,  moreo\'er,  if  the  judge  happened  to 
know  nothing  of  the  witness'  language,  and  were  disposed  to  protect 
him,  how  helpless  would  cvca  the  judge  be  to  extend  protection  in  such 
a  case. 

The  more  one  studies  or  investigates  this  matter,  the  more  thor- 
oughly he  will  Iw  convinced  of  the  truth  of  Bancroft's  declaration,  that 
"Pio  Pico  has  been  abused  iar  beyond  his  tleserts."  He  has  been 
abused  partly,  perhaps,  because  of  unwortliy  race  prejudices,  coupled 
with  misinformation,  but  maiuly  because  it  was  for  smnebody's  interest 
to  misrepresent  and  abuse  him. 

Is  it  not  high  time  that  some  one  spoke  out  in  his  defense?  Now, 
that  the  venerable  ex-dovemor  has  been  laid  in  his  grave  and  that, 
O  most  pitiful  sj)ectacle,  a  pauper's  grave! — -is  it  not  time  that  calumnies 
against  him  should  cease?  There  are  mauy  of  our  people  who  did  not 
know  him,  and  who  aim  to  be  just,  who  still  seem  willing  to  believe  ill 
of  him;  and  there  are.  I  am  sorry  to  say.  plenty  of  writers  who  are  very 
ready  to  pander  to  unworthy  prejudices  against  people  who  are  not  of 
our  own  race  and  who  do  not  speak  our  own  language.  It  may  yet  be 
too  early,  but  some  day  a  friendly,  sympathetic  life  of  Pio  Pico  should 
be  written. 

The  story  of  the  pastoral,  almost  idyllic,  life  uf  the  Californians  be* 
fore  the  irnited  States  conquest,  and  of  the  disastrous  experiences  of 
many  of  tliem  since  the  change  of  government,  which  they  did  not  in- 
vite, but  which  was  forced  upon  them,  has  only  been  told,  or  partially 
told, /r<«n  the  Avitric an  point  oj  viru-.  Let  ns  hope  that  it  will  some 
lime  be  told  from  the  statuiptntit  of  the  Gjltformius  tbemseivg:i,  and  in 
such  a  spirit  of  truthfuluess  and  kindliness  as  will  not  do  them  injustice! 
For  I  hold  that  the  Spanish  Californiaus  have  nut  hitherto  Iwen  given  a 
fair  show  in  the  forum  of  American  public  opinion. 

There  is  another  charge  against  Go\'crnor  Pico  which  I  feel  com- 
pelled to  notice,  namely,  that  he  was  by  nature  of  a  "litigious  disj^si- 
tion."  This  charge,  doubtless,  has  as  much  foundation  and  is  alx)ut  as 
just,  as  applied  to  Pico,  and  to  many  other  native  Californians,  as  it  woiild 


64        HISTORICAL    SOCIETY    OF    SOUTHERN    CALIFORNIA. 


be  if  made  ag;aiii5t  the  thousands  of  Americans  who  ha\'C  been  finan- 
cially mined  by  the  litigation  into  which  they  have  been  forced  in  self- 
de/ense.  since  California  became  a  part  of  the  United  States.  What 
could  they  have  done?  What  should  they  have  done?  Quietly  submit 
to  be  despoiled  of  their  lands  by  greedy  land  sharks  and  sharpers,  who 
ha\-e  ever  stood  ready  ||f  take  advantage  of  either  real  or  imaginary 
flaws  in  land  titles,  technicalities  of  the  law,  perjury  and  sutioniation  oi 
perjury,  conspiracy,  forgery,  or  what  not,  to  harass  and  badger  ez/iwr- 
kans  as  well  as  CaUfomians  out  of  their  possessions?  Pio  Pico,  who 
was  formerly  a  rerj-  rich  man  in  land  and  cattle,  teas  forced  into  litiga- 
tion, which  finally  left  him  without  a  foot  of  land  and  absolutely  with- 
out means  of  his  own.  and  dependent  on  gracious  charity  for  shelter 
and  for  his  daily  bread. 

Col.  George  H.  Smith,  who  was  for  years  his  attorney,  tells  me 
that  he  defended  Governor  Pico  in  the  courts  in  fonr  different  suits 
which  were  brought  against  him  on  four  promis.sory  notes,  at  different 
times,  for  amounts  ranging  from  a  few  hundred  dollars  to  $16,000!  to 
which  Don  Pio's  name  and  rubric  had  been  forged  by  expert  scoundrels; 
but  that  he  was  able  to  defeat  these  suite  in  every  case.  These  are  but 
a  few  samples  of  the  class  of  lawsuits  in  which  Don  Pio  was  compelled 
to  defend  himself,  and  whereby  he  ha.*;  acquired  the  reputation  of  being 
of  a  "litigious"  disposition;  and  they  scr\-e  to  indicate  howunju«ly  that 
characteristic  has  been  imputed  to  him. 

For  one  of  the  most  flagrant  ca.se5  of  the  miscarriageof  justice  in 
in  the  history  of  California.  I  refer  the  members  o(  this  Society  to  the 
case  of  Pico  vgnus  Cohn,  as  reported  by  the  Supreme  Court  itself — in  Cal. 
Reports.  Vol.  gt,  pp.  129-135;  also  in  Pacific  Reporter,  Vol.  45,  pp. 
970-97i^n  which, on  what,  to  lay  minds,  seem  the  most  flimsy  technicul- 
ties.there  was  taken  iVom  the  last  Mexican  Governor  of  California,  in  his 
old  age,  property  estimated  ^-ariously  to  be  worth  from  $250,000  to 
$50f\ooo,  for  a  debt  originally  of  $62,000,  but  which  afterwards  was  in- 
creased to  $103,000.  It  is  not  an  easy  matter  to  discuss  this  case  in 
temperate  language.  I  therefore  refrain,  and  refer  the  Historical  Society 
to  the  judicial  statement  of  the  case  as  cited  above,  which  I  desire  to 
make  a  part  of  this  paper. 

Perhaps  it  would  add  interest  to  this  imperfect  sketch  to  call  atten- 
tion to  some  personal  characteristics  of  Don  Pio,  or  to  relate  incidents 
which  reveal  these  characteristics.  All  who  came  into  social  or  business 
relations  with  the  venerable  ex -Governor,  spontaueously  bear  witness  to 
his  kindness  of  heart,  to  his  uniform  courtesy,  and  to  his  entire  lack  of 
malice  or  ill-will  towards  any  human  being.  Many  Americans  believe 
that  he  was  crafty;  and  yet,  thaw  now  living,  both  Americans  and  CaU- 
fomians, who  associated  with  him  longest,  and  therefore  knew  him  best. 


PJO  PiCO, 


«s 


will,  I  think,  anifonnly  say  tbat  no  person  was  freer  from  that  sinistre 
trait,  crafiifuss,  than  Pio  Pico.  On  the  contrary,  he  was.  if  anything, 
too  confiding — which  weakness  was  one  of  the  canses  of  his  financial 
undoing,  in  that  he  listened  to  the  advice  of  oneoJ  the  conspirators  who 
sought  to  despoil  him  of  bis  magnificent  estate  by  perenading  him  to 
deposit,  for  safe  keeping,  the  instrument  which  yould  have  compelled  a 
reconi-eyance  of  that  estate,  with  a  party  from  whose  custody  it  has 
never  since  emerged. 

I  have  otlen  talked  to  Don  Pio  about  the  grievous  financial  troubles 
that  came  to  liim  in  the  last  years  of  bis  life.  In  one  conversation,  he 
remarked  sadly,  but,  so  far  as  I  could  detect,  without  a  tinge  of  exulta- 
CioD  or  bitterness,  which  would  have  been  so  natural  to  most  men  under 
like  circumstances:  So  and  so,  who  had  wronged  or  overreached  him, 
had  died;  another  person,  who  bad  treated  him  in  a  similar  unjust  fash- 
ion, had  become  paralyzed;  and  now  a  third  person  who  had  wronged 
him  more  grievously  than  all,  be  is  dead.  I  could  not  help  ejaculating: 
"It  looks  OS  though  some  Power  above  took  cognizance  of  alTairs  in  this 
wotld,"  to  which  he  simply  responded:  "Pardee"  (it  would  seem  so). 

On  another  occassion,  as  he  was  telling  me  of  some  of  the  pathetic 
features  of  that  most  pathetic  case  in  which  be  lost  all,  I  said:  "  Inas- 
much as  there  may  be  a  doubt  as  to  whether  the  security  given  was,  as 
be  insisted,  merely  a  deed  of  trust,  or  an  absolute  deed,  as  his  opponeuts 
coutended  ;  and  as  he  had  offered  to  return  to  them  all  the  money  they 
were  out,  with  good  interest,  it  is  a  plt>'  that  tb€  courts  could  not  have 
seen  it  in  the  line  of  their  duty,  as  Judge  Howard  of  the  Superior  Court, 
who  was  a  \-ery  just  judge,  had  done  ;  to  have  decreed  that  the  instru- 
ment given  as  security,  was  a  security  deed  only;  and  thus  the  money 
^looners  would  have  gotten  their  money  with  good  interest,  and  all  costs, 
ind  he  (Don  Pio)  would  have  gotten  his  land  back,  and  no  wTong  would 
have  been  done  to  anybody — all  parties  would  have  been  made  whole." 
To  which  he  fervently,  almost  devoutly,  replied:  "O/a/a!  Ojala!" 
(Would  to  Heaven,  would  to  Heaven,  it  might  have  been  so  !) 
Kindness  of  heart  was  a  peculiarly  prominent  trait  in  Governor  Pico's 

icter;  and  this  trait  made  it  difficult  often  for  him  to  say  "  Xo"  to 
who  came  to  him  for  fa^'ors,  or  asked  him  to  loan  them  money,  or 
to  lend  his  name  as  surety  for  loans  from  other  parties.  He  was  sub- 
jected to  this  latter  annoyance  .so  freqiienlly  at  one  i>eriod.  and  he  found 
it  so  difficult  to  stand  off  this  particular  clais  ui  Iwrrowers,  that  the  liite 
William  Wolfskin  once  told  me  that  Don  Pio  had  specially  req^uestcd^  him 
to  refuse  to  loan  money  to  any  man  who  came  to  him  to  borrow  on  his 
(Pico's)  security  or  indorsement;  and  1  l»elieve  tbat  Mr.  Wolfskill 
through  his  genuine  respect  and  frieudsbip  for  Don  Pio,  strictly  thereafter 
observed  that  request. 


6,         HISTORICAL    SOCIETY    OF    SOUTHERN    CALIFORNIA. 

There  is  a  beautiful  social  relation  existing  in  all  Spanish  Catholic 
countries  namely,  that  between  god-parents  and  god-children.  In  sees 
ing  Governor  Pico  and  Colonel  Warner  together  on  several  occasion- 
dnring  the  present  year,  I  was  surprised  to  observe  the  recognition  of 
this  relation  between  the  venerable  gentlemen,  in  their  mode  of  addressing 
each  other.  I  had  long  been  accustomed  to  bear  young  people  address 
persons  much  older  than  themselves  as  "padrtTWS,"  or  god-parents,  and 
to  hear  the  always  affectionate  response,  "ahijados"  (god-children);  but 
I  never  before  had  heard  nuiety-year  old  people  address  each  other  in  that 
way.  I  asked  Don  Pio  one  day  for  an  explanation,  how  it  Came  about 
that  Don  Juan  (Mr.  Warner)  should  call  him  *'padrino,"  He  said  that 
long  ago,  Captain  Gale,  of  Boston,  left  his  daughter  with  his  (Don  Pic's) 
family  for  some  time;  and  that  afterwards  she  was  married  to  Colonel 
Warner,  and  that  he  (Don  Pio)  stood  as  padrino  or  god-father  at  their 
wedding.  And  always  after  that,  I  jioticed  that  whenever  Don  Pio  and 
Mr.  Warner  met,  the  latter  always  without  exception,  affectionately  ad- 
dressed the  former,  by  the  endearing  word,  padrino,  and  Don  Pio  in 
like  manner  addressed  Colonel  Warner  as  akijado. 

There  are  two  ways  in  which  this  very  near  and  pleasant  relation  may 
be  established,  namely,  (i)  when  persons  stand  as  sponsors  at  the  mar- 
riage of  a  couple,  and  (2)  when  they  stand  as  sponsors  at  the  baptism  of 
children.  In  the  latter  case,  the  sponsors  become  padrinos  or  god-pa- 
rents of  the  children,  and  "compadres  "  to  their  parents.  The  relation 
of  "  com-padres,"  is,  I  believe,  unknown  in  English  speaking  countries, 
and,  so  far  as  I  know,  there  is  no  equivalent  word  for  it  in  the  English 
language. 


HISTORICAL  DEBRIS, 


THE   MVTniCAL   AND  THK   FABULOVS   IN    HISTORY. 


DV  J.  M,  onNS. 


[Read  April  5,   1S94  ] 

"Asfor  histor>'.  we  kuow  that  is  lies,"  said  Sir  Horace  Walpole. 
or  rather  the  expression  is  attributed  to  him,  for  even  the  authorship  of 
the  saying  is  in  doubt.  Whether  it  was  Horace  Walpole  or  Robert  Wal- 
pole, or  whether  either  of  them  ga\-e  utterance  to  it.  is  immaterial. 
While  refusing  my  indorsement  of  so  sweeping  a  charge  against  the 
rdiabihty  of  historical  narrative,  yet  I  think  that  every  student  of  his- 
tory will  admit  that  the  more  exten8i\*e  his  historical  reading  may  be- 
come the  less  ready  he  will  be  to  accept  unquestioned  that  which  is  pre- 
sented to  him  in  the  name  of  history. 

The  present  age  is  irreverent  and   iconoclastic.     Myths  and   tradi- 

Ctlons  that  have  passed  for  ages  as  authentic  hi.story,  have  by  the  critical 
historian  of  our  day  been  relegated  to  their  proper  place  in  literature. 
In  the  present  age  the  truth -^^■:;king  historian,  nntrammeled  by  fear  of 
church  or  state  has  weighed  c^^;^J'  fact  and  scrntini?:ed  every  authoritj* 
bearing  npon  the  historical  e\"en1s  under  inx-estigation,  and  the  result  has 
heen  that  much  that  has  passed  for  authentic  history  has  been  found  to 
he  mere  rubbish — broken,  displaced  and  distorted  fragments  of  some 
myth  or  fable  that  thecrcdnlous  historian  has  mistaken  for  \-eritabIe  his- 
tor>*  instead  of  what  they  are     historical  debris. 

Scientists  as  well  as  historians  have  done  effective  work  in  ridding 
history  of  its  debris.  Scientific  investigation  has  displaced  many  a 
lodgment  of  historical  detritus  that  for  centuries  lias  clogged  the  channel 
of  history.  Huxley  and  his  co-laborers  have  dried  up  the  waters  of  the 
Noachian  deluge  far  more  quickly  and  effectively  than  did  the  fabled 
t  wind.  Lot's  wife— that  pillarof  salt,  that  for  t^vo  thousand  years 
■worried  historian  and  theologian— has  melted  away  before  modem  iwi- 
entilic  investigation;  and  the  Dead  Sea,  that  engulfed  Sodom  and  Go- 
morrah with  its  sulphurous  waters,  has  been  proven  to  be  no  dead  sea  at 
all  -outy  n  vcr>-  ordinary  alkaline  lake. 


te        HISTORICAL   SOCIETY    OF    SOUTHERN   CAUFORSIA. 


H\'«ry  student  of  bistor>'  recogtuzes  the  value  of  myth  aud  folk- 
lore in  the  study  of  the  evolution  of  a  pe*>ple.  Hut  no  historian  worthy 
of  the  name  should  give  currency  to  the  mythical  aud  fabulous  as  tiue 
history. 

Intentional  misrcprcsentaUon,  hero  worship,  creduhty  and  the  bias 
of  prejudice  or  favoritism,  are  the  mostfraitful  JWUTces  from  which  have 
originated  the  falsehoods  of  historj*. 

Ancient  histoo'  abounds  in  fabuloiB  and  m)-thical  stories,  that  for 
ages  passed  current  as  truthful  history.  The  story  of  Diogenes,  the  cynic, 
in  scant  attire,  searching  the  streets  of  Athens  with  a  lantern  at  midday 
to  find  an  honest  man,  does  not  appear  in  Grecian  literature  until  long 
after  Diogenes  and  his  lantern  (if  he  possessed  one)  were  tlust  and 
ashes.  It  was  doubtless  originated  by  some  carping  cynic  to  add  luster 
to  the  name  of  the  founder  of  his  school  of  philosophy. 

The  three  hundred  Spartan  heroes  who  fell  at  the  Pass  of  Thermop- 
yla:  have  grown  to  seven  thousand.  To  add  luster  to  their  heroic  de- 
fense, Greek  historians  reduced  the  number  of  the  defenders. 

The  praises  of  Regulus,  that  brave  old  Roman  who  would  not 
break  his  word  with  his  enemies  though  death  might  be  his  reward  for 
keeping  it,  have  been  told  in  prose  and  sung  in  verse  through  all  the 
centuries  that  have  inter\'ened  since  the  days  when  Porcius  Cato  gare 
utterance  to  bis  famous  slogan:  "Carthago  esi  delinija"  (C&rthAge  muat 
be  destroyed).  Modem  research  has  shown  that  Regtilus,  instead  of 
returning  to  Carthage  as  he  promised  the  Carthagenians  to  do,  violated 
his  word,  staid  at  home  and  fired  the  Roman  heart  with  tales  of  Cartha- 
genian  cruelty.  Instead  of  being  put  to  death  by  being  rolled  down  hill 
in  a  barrel  set  with  sharp  spikes  by  the  enraged  Carthagenians,  he  died 
in  Rome  at  an  advanced  age. 

On  good  authority  it  has  been  shown  that  it  was  not  love  of  country 
and  liberty  that  inspired  Brutus  to  thrust  his  "en\*ious  dagger"  into 
Caesar,  but  because  C-Esar  had  made  a  decree  that  Brutus  and  his  asso- 
ciates should  not  loan  money  at  usurious  rates.  Brutus's  rate  of  inter- 
e-st  to  his  neeily  countrymen  was  torty-eight  per  cent. 

Ferocious  Omar,  the  Moslem  conqueror,  did  not  bum  the  great 
library  of  Alexandria.  Modem  investigation  has  shown  that  he  never 
was  at  Alexandria  aud  had  he  come  there  he  would  have  found  no 
Ubrary  to  bum.  The  library  had  been  destroyed  two  and  a-half  centu- 
ries before  Omar's  time.  Julius  Caesar  burned  a.  part  of  it  and  the 
Patriarch-s  of  Alexandria  completed  the  destruction  of  its  700.000 
volumes. 

Lea\'ing  ancient  hi.«tory,  and  cominfi  down  to  modem,  we  find  one 
of  the  most  remarkable  instances  on  record  of  a  myth  passing  current 
for  history.     For  five  hundred  years  the  Swiss  had  reverenced  the  mem- 


mSTQRtCAL  DEBRIS. 


69 


Kjst 
boi 


ory  of  William  Tell  and  had  exalted  htm  as  Uie  savior  of  their  country 
and  the  dcli^xrcr  of  its  people  from  bondage.  His  lime  tree  was  pointed 
out  in  the  market  place  of  Altdorf  and  his  crosshow  hung  in  the  arsenal 
at  Zurich.  Some  icouoclastic  historian,  delviug  among  ihe  tomes  and 
archives  of  Swiss  and  Austrian  histor>'.  has  proved,  beyond  a  doubt, 
that  the  Swiss  were  never  conquered  by  the  Au&trians;  thai  there  was 
no  tyrant  Gesler,  that  William  Tell  is  a  mythical  personage  and  the 
story  of  his  exploits  in  its  general  features  is  one  of  the  myths  that  our 
Aryan  ancestors  are  supposed  to  have  brought  with  them  from  their 
mountainous  homes  in  Central  Asia. 

It  is  only  a  few  years  past  since  the  beautiful  story  of  Pocahontas 
sa\-ing  the  life  of  Captain  John  Smith,  ceased  to  be  r^arded  as  authentic 
ory.  The  story  as  told  in  the  histories  of  our  boyliood  days  runs 
,bout  as  follows:  King  Powhatan  in  his  great  Council  Chambers  is  sealed 
on  a  wooden  throne,  with  his  two  daughters,  beautiful  Indian  princesses, 
beside  him.  Smith,  the  captive,  is  brought  before  him.  is  soundly  be- 
rated for  the  sins  of  his  countrymen,  and  doomed  to  die.  The  capti\*e's 
head  is  placed  on  a  great  rock,  and  a  stalwart  brave  swings  high  his  war 
clnb.  Pocahontas,  the  princess,  moved  by  pity,  dashes  down  from  the 
throne  and  throws  her  arms  around  Smith's  neck  at  the  imminent  risk  of 
having  her  own  beautiful  head  broken  by  the  the  war  club.  Powhatan 
is  moved  to  pity.  Smith  is  saved.  That  such  a  story  should  have  passed 
current  as  truthful  history  for  two  centuries,  in  a  country  where  Indian 
character  and  Indian  customs  were  so  well  understood  as  they  were  in 
onrs.  isan  anomaly  in  credulity.  To  anyone  understanding  Indian  char- 
acter and  customs  the  story  is  a  weak  invention.  No  American  Indian 
liad  then,  or  has  now,  any  conception  of  kingly  power,  or  of  a  throne. 
Their  squaws  were  not  admitted  to  the  Council  Chamber.  Captives  were 
usually  burned  at  the  stake  with  all  the  tortures  that  the  untutored  sav- 
age could  invent,  and  foremost  in  inflicting  these  were  the  squawa,  young 
id  old.  No  Indian  maiden  would  have  flared  to  save  a  prisoner 
hen  doomed  by  the  Council  to  die.  Pocahontas  was  the  daughter  of  a 
chief,  Rolfc,  who  already  bad  a  wife  in  England,  married  her  out  of 
policy  and  with  a  hope  of  making  a  profit  out  of  the  Indian  trade.  She 
was  regarded  by  the  English  as  a  jirincess,  and  King  James  and  his 
Council  gravely  discussed  the  question  whether  Rolfe,  a  common  subject 
with  no  royal  blood  in  his  viens.  had  committed  treason  by  marrying  a 
princess  of  the  royal  blood  and  an  heir  to  the  throne  of  Powhatan.  They 
were  ignorant  of  the  fact  that  the  chieftainship  among  [ndian  tribes  wu 
never  conferred  upon  women;  nor  was  it  hereditary.  The  story  was  in- 
\'entcd  by  Smith  long  after  the  death  of  Powhatan  and  Pocahontas. 
Had  Smith  lived  in  our  day  he  would  have  made  a  fortune  in  writing 
dime  novels. 


70        HlSTOftiCAL    SOCISTY    OF    SOUTHERN    CAUFORNiA. 


Pas^ug  by  the  detritus  of  Colonial  aiid  Ke%'oIuLioiiar>'  history 
hasten  on  to  thai  greatest  event  iii  out  uatiou's  hUloiy     the  Ci^Hl  W'fl 
Fought  as  it  was,  duriug  the  last  half  of  the  nineteenth  ceutnr>',  in  an 
age  of  telegraphs,  and  newspapers,  with  every  appUance  for  uhiaining 
correct  reiMirt-s,  we  shall  fnul  no  conflicting  accouiit^s.  no  fabulous  stories 
to  contradict,  no  myths  woven  into  its  history.     Let  us  see.    In  the  pant 
thirty  years  every  important  battle  has  been  fought  over  and  over  again  on 
paper  by  survivors  of  the  engagement.  Orant,  Sherman,  and  Sheridan  on 
the  one  side,  Lee,  DaWs,  and  Johnson  on  the  other,  have  each  told  his  story 
of  the  war,  and  columns  and  whole  volumes  of  refutations  have  followed 
the    appearance  of  each  one's  .story.      Thirt>'  years   have  passed  since       i 
Sherman's  Legions  marched  through  the  Carolinas,  aud  though  argued  fl 
through  all  the  years  since  then,  the  question  wbo  burned  Columbia  is 
no  nearer  an  answer  now  than  that  of  the  burning  of  Rome  in  the  days 
of  Nero. 

The  sur\'ivor  of  the  late  war,  .is  he  reads  the  historical  descriptions 
of  battles  and  sieges  in  which  he  took  i»art,  Is  sometimes  compelled  to 
doubt  bis  senses  and  even  his  own  identity.  Tlie  siiccial  artist,  the  army 
correspondent ,  and  the  inielligeiu  contraband  were  potent  factors  in  the 
making  of  war  news.  To  the  war  correspondent  of  a  great  newspaper, 
the  columns  of  his  p;iper  were  of  more  importance  than  the  movements 
of  the  columns  of  an  anny.  War  news  was  manufactured  by  the  corre- 
spondent, the  more  startHiig  and  improbable  the  bigger  the  scoop  of  his 
contemporaries.  In  the  transition  from  news  to  history,  not  infrcqnently 
has  it  happened  that  the  improbable  has  been  substituted  for  the  actual. 
That  which  did  happen  lia.s  l>een  deuietl  or  forgotten,  and  that  which  did 
not  hap]>en  has  gone  on  the  record  as  veritable  histor>'. 

The  artist's  license,  lilce  the  poetV,  is  highly  elastic  and  often  as- 
sists in  the  preservation  and  dissemmination  of  historical  inaccuracies. 
My  space  pennits  me  to  give  but  one  example  from  the  many  that  might 
be  given.  It  is  an  artist's  attempt  to  depict  a  battle  in  which  I  took 
part,  and  which  I  saw,  or  think  I  saw,  from  inception  to  finish.  In 
Harper's  Pictorial  Histoo'  of  the  CiWl  War.  the  illustrations  for  which 
purport  to  have  been  sketched  on  the  field  by  special  artists,  appears  a 
picture  of  the  battle  of  Winchester,  or  Kernstown  as  it  is  now  called. 
General  ShieULs,  mounted  on  a  magnificent  gray  horse,  epaulets  on  his 
shoulders,  and  a  cocked  hat  on  his  head,  with  bis  drawn  sword  pointing 
to  the  Confederates,  far  in  advance  or  his  troops,  is  leading  the  charge. 
His  horse  is  in  the  very  act  of  leaping  over  a  stone  wall  and  a  regi- 
ment of  Stonewall  Jackson's  tnwps.  The  Union  stddicrs,  dressed  in 
perfect  line,  with  knapsacks  on  their  backs,  overcoat:*  buttoned  to  their 
throats,  and  bayonets  at  a  charge,  follow  in  the  rear  of  the  General, 
The  context  describing  the  battle  is  of  a  piece  with  the  picture.     The 


HISTORICAL  DEBRIS. 


71 


facts  arc  thai  ShieUls  wns  wounded  in  a  skinnisli  the  day  before  and  whs 
in  the  bosjiitai  at  Winchester,  four  miles  from  the  battlefield;  the  artist 
probably  initch  further  away.     Shields  never  wore  epaulets,  nor  a 

Icockedbat;  his   usual   tmiform  was  an   old   blotise  and  a  slouched  hat. 

[Tie  did  not  command  in  any  battle  duriug  the  war,  nor  was  he  in  a  bat- 
tle. There  was  not  a  general  on  the  battleBeld.  The  ranking  offictr 
on  the  field  was  Colonel  (afierwards  General)  Kiniljall  of  the  Fourteenth 
Indiana  Volunteers— one  of  the  tounders  of  the  Indiana  Colony,  now 
Pasadena.  After  stubbornly  fighting  Jackson's  forces,  which  were 
posted  behind  a  .ston«  wall,  for  three  hours,  it  occurred  to  some  one  that 
they  could  t>c  flanked.  Sullivan's  brigade  moved  up  ou  their  right 
flank,  their  position  was  rendered  indefen.tiible  and  they  begaa  to  faQ 
back:.  Some  one  (supposc<l  to  be  a  corporal  of  the  Seventh  Ohio)  yelled 
"Charge!"  The  cr>' ran  through  our  irregular  line  and  away  we  went 
OD  the  r^n.  every  man  in  command  of  himself  and  all  of  us  bound  for  the 
wall.  Jackson's  soldiers  retreated.  A  number  of  them  who  could  not 
ran  as  fast  as  their  pursuers  were  captured,  and  the  battle  was  over. 
Both  history  and  art  credit  the  victory  to   the  bravery  and   strategy  of 

I  Shields.    Strategy',  there  was  none.    The  victory  was  won  by  the  bravery 

■of  that  thing  which  has  no  personality  in  histor>-— the  common  soldier. 
Three  colonels  were  made  brigadiers  as  a  reward  for  the  bravery  of  the 
private  soldiers  in  their  respective  commands. 

The  poet's  license  has  played  an  important  part   in   the  originating 
and   perpetuating  of  historical   inaccuracies.     As  au   illustration,  take 

b  Buchanan  Read's  stirring  poem,  "Shendan's  Ride,"  It  is  a  magniSccnt 
poem,  but  a.<i  histor>-  it  is  sadly  misleadiug.  The  ride,  while  regarded 
by  Sheridan  as  an  insiguliicaut  performauce,  has  from  the  rylhm  of 
Read's  immortal  lines,  come  to  be  considered  the  most  wonderful  of 
Sheridan's  daring  deeds.  The  actual  distance  from  Winchester  to  where 
Sheridan  saw,  not 

"The  groups  of  stragglers  and  the  retreating  troops," 

but  to  where  he   saw  General  Wright's  line  uf  battle  ready  to  advance 
on  the  enemy, was  twelve  miles,  not  twenty. 

"And  striking  his  spurs,  with  a  terrible  oath. 
He  dashwl  <lown  the  line  mid  a  storm  ai  liuzza<i. 
And  the  wave  of  retreat  was  checked,  because 
l^he  sight  of  the  master  compelled  it  to  pause." 
The  "wave  of  defeat"  was  checked  l«l'ore  Sheridan  left  Winchester.     His 
presence,  no  doubt,  inspired  the  troops  who  knew  that  he  had  arrived  on 
the  field,  but  many  of  them  were  not  aware  of  his  presence    until  after 
the  Confederates  were  driven  back  and  defeated. 

Tennyson's  "  Charge  of  the  Light  Brigade"  has  made  the  name  of 


I 


,72         HISTORICAL    SOCIETY    OF    SOUTHERN   CALIFORNIA. 

that  organization  immortHl.     The  superficial    readers  ot"  histor>*  rcgai 
that  charge  as  the  bravest,  the  most  deadly,  and  the  most  desperate  in 
the  annals  of  modern  warfare.     Stripped  of  the  poetic  imagery  that  Ten-    ■ 
nyson  lias  woven  into  it,  it  was  not  such  a  wonderful  charge  after   all. 
More  than  one  hundred  regiments  on  the  L'nion  side  and  a  number  on       < 
the  Confeilerate,  in  our  Civil  War  lost  a  higher  percentage  of  killed  and    ■ 
wounded  in  single  engagements  than  did  the  I^ight  Brigade  at  Ralaklava. 
.•\nd  these  not  only  did  this  once  but  repeatedly,  while  the  only  6gbting 
the  Light  Brigade  ever  did  was  its  one  foolish  charge.     The  loss  of  the 
Light  Brigade  at  BalaUIava  was   thirty-fsix  per  cent,  of  those  engaged. 
The  loss  of  the  First  Minnestita  Regiment  at  Gettysburg  was  eii»!ity-lwo 
per  cent.     At  least  three  metnViers  of  our  historical  Society,  Gen.  Mans- 
field, Major  E.  W.  Jones,  and   the  writer  of  this  paper,  took    part  in 
charges  in  which  the  per  cent,  of  killed  and  wounded  in  their  respective 
regiments  was  nearly  double  that  of  the  Light  Brigade,      '  The  Battle 
Above  the  Clouds  "  the  poetical  name  for  the  battle  of  T.ooko«t  Mount- 
ain was  no  battle  at  all,  only  an  insignificant  skirmish  in  which  the  Un- 
ion loss  was  nine  men,  while  the  battle  of  Missionary-  Ridge  cost   the 
Union  Army  se^-en  thousand. 

Instances  of  intentional  misrepresentation  of  the  foots  of  histor>'  are 
numerous,  but  my  space  forbids  me  giving  more  than  one  example,  In 
the  Centura'  Magawne  War  Papers,  which  now  form  four  large  volumes 
of  what  purports  to  he  histor>-,  is  a  paper  by  the  Confederate  General  Im- 
boden  entitled  "  Stonewall  Jackson  in  Shenandoah  Valley."  He  gives, 
what  he  claims,  is  a  full  history  of  Jackson's  movements  and  battles  in 
the  valley.  He  describes  at  length  Jackson's  victories  over  the  armies 
of  Hunter,  Banks.  Fremont,  and  Tyler  but  carefully  avoids  the  slightest 
mention  of  Jackson's  disastrous  defeat  by  Shield's  forces  at  Kernstown. 
As  reliable  history,  many  of  the  Century  papers  are  worthless.  They 
abound  in  biased  statements,  inaccuracies  and  tntentiotiat  misrepresenta- 
tions. The  authors  of  some  of  these  papers  evidently  seized  this  oppor- 
tunity to  vent  their  magligiinut  hatred  of  their  late  enemies,  even  though 
they  had  to  falsify  the  truths  of  history  to  do  it 

Contemporaneous  histories  arc  usually  unrelinble  on  account  of  the 
bias  of  their  authors.  The  writer  mu.st  pander  to  the  prejudices  of 
his  constituents  by  abusing  those  of  the  opposite  side  if  he  would 
make  his  wares  salable. 

The  element  of  Ihe  fabulous  enters  largely  into  all  one  sided  histor- 
ies of  any  great  contest.  The  histories  of  the  conque-st  of  California 
abound  iu  numerous  examples  of  this.  W'e  never  have  had.  and  probably 
never  viiU  have,  a  history  of  that  event  written  by  a  Mexican  or  native 
Califoniian.  We  look  at  it  from  the  American  side  only.  Most  of  the 
contemporaneous  writers  ou  the  American  side  seem  to  haw  been  in- 


lllSTOitlCAL  DEBRIS, 


75 


spired  hy  two  motives  :    first,  to  maguify  the  nambers,  and,  secondly,  to 
debase  the  character  of  their  oppoueuts.     Stockton's  militar>'  and  naval 
reports  of   the    conquest   of  California    abound  in   misrepresentations 
and   fabulous  stories.     The  Commodore  was   a  veritable   Munchausen, 
when  narrating  his  own  exploits.     Stockton,  in  reporting  his  first  expe- 
dition down  the  coast,  reported  that  he  had  chased   the   Mexican  army 
.100  miles  along  the  coast,  driven  them  into  the  interior  and   disper.vd 
Ihem  in  the  mountains.     Exactly  how  he,  on   board  the   frigate  "Con- 
gress." out  of  sight  of  land,  could  chase   the  Mexican   army  over  the 
mountains  of  the  Coast  Range.  300  miles  down   the  coast,  is  a  military 
and  na^'al  exploit  that  the  Commodore  does  not  explain.     Tuthill  (tjsu- 
oUy  considered  a  reliable  historian),  describing  Stockton's  second  expe- 
dition down  this  coast,  says:  "Stockton  eflfccted  a  landing  of  his  troops 
at  San  Pedro  on  October  »3  (1846),  in  the  face  of  an  army  of  800  of  the 
enemy.'*     The  story  of  Stockton's  heroic  expldit  is  told   as   follows  by 
B.  D.  Wilson  (who  had  been  taken  prisoner  at  the  battle  of  Chino).   Wil- 
son was  stationed  on  the  mesa  under  the  charge  of  a  Mexican  sergeant, 
•with  instnictions  to  run  up  a  white  flag  and  under  cover  of  that  to  bear  a 
message  from  Jose  .-Xntnnio  Carillo,  the  officer  in  command,  to  Stockton, 
asking  a  cessation  of  hostilities.     Carillo,  with   the  intention  of  giving 
Stockton  an  exaggerated  idea  of  his  strength  and  thus  obtaining   more 
favorable  terms,  collected  droves  of  wild   horses   from   the  plains;  these 
,his  caballeros  kept  in  motion  passing  and  repassing  through  a  gap  in  the 
hills  which  was  plainly  discernible  from   Stockton's   vessel.     Owing  to 
the  dust  raised  by  the  cavalcade,  it  was  impossible  to  discover  that  most 
of  the  horses  were  riderless.     The  troops, who  had  landed,  were  sigualled 
to  return   to  the  x*essel,  the  anchors  were   hoisted  and  the    Commodore 
sailed  away  to  San  Diego  to  join  Fremont.     Bancroft  says:  "Of  the  800 
men   attributed   to  the  enemy,  700  at  least  existed  in  the  American 
imagination." 

Stockton,  in  his  official  account  of  the  battles  of  the  Rio  San 
Gabriel  and  the  Plains  of  the  Mesa  (as  he  called  it),  gives  the  enemy's 
loss  in  killed  and  wounded  at  between  seventy  and  eighty.  At  the  bat- 
tle of  Paso  de  Bartoto  or  Rio  San  Oabriel  two  Califoniians,  SepuU'eda 
and  Ramirez,  were  mortally  wounded  and  died  a  few  days  later  at  the 
Mission  San  Gabriel.  At  the  Itattle  of  T^  Mesa,  a  Yaqui  Indian  named 
Ignaceo,  was  killed  and  one  Califomian  wounded.  Some  American  his- 
torians place  the  streugth  of  the  Califomians  in  these  battles  at  from  one 
thousand  to  twelve  hxindred  men.  Their  fighting  .strength  was  between 
three  and  four  hundred.  Stockton *s  was  about  six  hundred,  Tuthill, 
in  his  historical  account  of  Stockton's  6r&t  advance  on  Los  Angeles,  Au- 
tgust.  1846,  says:  "As  they  neared  the  intrenched  camp,  a  courier  from 
Castro  came  ont,  kindly  to  warn  them  that  the  town  would  prove  their 


74       HlSTOSaCAL    SOCIETY   OF   SOUTHEJUi   CAUFOkNXJL 


Srsveiftfaereolendit.  "TbeD.**  answcrtd  tbe CofWMdore.  "Tdltbe 
GcnenI  to  bare  the  bells  ready  to  toD  at  eigbt  o'dodfc  «s  I  shall  be  tboe 
at  that  tine."  Castro  had  oo  iatreacbed  caaip.  He  and  his  ansjr  bad 
dmpfieued  beface  StockbNi's  aniraL  TothiU  states  that  Gillesp^ 
dmcn  oat  of  Los  Angeles  by  Flons  took  op  his  lioe  (^  tnaicfa  for  M( 
teiey-^  ^gbt  eizor  of  mly  joo  miles  in  Gille^xe's  destinatioa.  and  ]ret, 
Tnthill's  history,  before  Bancroft's  appeared,  was  regarded  as  the  oi< 
fdi^rle  history  of  Califontia  extant. 

As  an  tllastration  of  the  unreliability  of  contemporaneotts  history 
when  the  erideoce  of  only  one  side  is  beard.  I  give  this  from  Dr.  John 
Frost's  Pictorial  History  of  CaHfomia.  written  a  year  after  the  close  of 
the  Mexican  War.  After  describing  Stockton's  landing  at  San  Pedro  on 
his  first  expeditiaa  down  the  coast,  and  the  adraocc  of  his  army 
Castro's  forces  at  Los  Angles,  be  gives  this  account  of  a  battle: 
the  Rancbo  Sepolvida  a  large  force  of  Califomians  were  posted.  Com- 
modore  Stockton  sent  one  hundred  men  forward  to  receive  the  fire  of  the 
eoemy.  and  then  bCd  bade  on  the  main  body  without  retumii^  iu  The 
main  body  of  Stockton's  army  was  formed  in  a  triangle,  with  the 
guns  hid  by  the  men.  By  the  retreat  of  the  advance  party  the  enemy 
were  decoyed  close  to  the  main  force,  when  the  wings  (of  the  triangle) 
were  extended  and  a  deadly  fire  from  the  artillerv  opened  upon  the  aston- 
ished Csliforoian.'v  More  than  one  hundred  were  killed,  the  same  num- 
ber wounded;  Castro*?  army  was  routed  and  tme  hundred  prisoners 
taken."  The  mathematical  accurac>'  of  Stockton's  artillerists  was  truly  as- 
tonishtng.  They  killed  a  man  for  e%xr>'  one  wounded  and  took  a  prisoner 
for  every  man  killed — a  very  remarkable  liattle  imlecd.  Castro's  whole 
army  did  not  exceed  300  men  and  as  these  all  ran  away  they  all  lived  to 
fight  (or  nin^  another  d.ay.  The  first  capture  of  Los  Angeles  was  ac- 
complished without  the  firing  of  a  gun.  Capron.  the  author  of  a  hist< 
of  California,  who  visited  the  state  in  1850,  and  spent  sev-eral  >*ears  here, 
describes  the  same  battle.  He  calls  it  the  battle  of  Rancho  La  Sepulvidad.j 
He  puts  Castro's  loss  at  one  hundred  kilted,  and  one  hundred  pri'viners 
but  says  nothing  about  the  wounded.  *'  Dead  men  tell  no  tales;"  Caj 
was  safe  from  contradiction  by  the  dead,  and  tliewoundetl.  if  there  wei 
any,  concealed  their  scars.  Dr.  John  Frost  was  a  nnted  compiler  of  his 
tones,  and  in  his  day  wa.t  regarded  as  an  hi.storical  authority*.  He  wrote 
LL.D.  after  his  name.  From  what  source  he  derived  his  intonnatlooj 
in  regard  to  this  battle  he  docs  not  state.  There  was  not  then,  nor  ia 
there  now,  a  Kancho  Sepulvida  between  Los  Angeles  and  the  sea,  and^ 
consequently  no  such  battle  there  nor  at  any  other  place  in  CaHfomia. 

Historical  accuracy  is  a  thing  of  slow  growth.  It  is  only  by  a  care- 
ful coUecrion  of  evidence  and  the  testimony  of  many  witnesses,  gathered 
tbiough  years  of  tedious  search,  that  a  true  verdict  e.'*ta Wishing  an  his- 


HISTORICAL  DEBRIS.  75 

torical  &ct  is  reached.  The  historian  should  possess  the  judicial  instinct 
fcM-  weighing  evidence  and  arriving  at  a  decision  unbiased  either  by 
prejudice  or  favoritism.  He  should  possess  enough  honesty  and  inde- 
pendence to  expose  fasehoods,  even  when  they  have  the  official  stamp  of 
church  or  state. 

In  conclusion,  pardon  a  sUght  digression  from  my  subject.  Califor- 
nians  owe  a  debt  of  gratitude  to  Hubert  Howe  Bancroft  for  his  historical 
work.  His  history  has  its  defects.  What  history  has  not?  He  may 
have  dealt  severely,  and  even  unfairly,  with  certain  historical  personages. 
Possibly  some  of  these  deser\'ed  a  little  severit>'.  His  energy,  industry 
and  perseverance  in  collecting  vast  stores  of  historical  material,  that  but 
for  him  would  have  been  lost  and  destroyed,  as  much  had  been  before 
his  time,  are  deserving  of  praise.  He  has  gathered  together  material 
from  which  some  future  Macaulay  will  write  a  true  historj'  of  the  State. 
His  recent  expulsion  from  the  society  of  California  Pioneers  reflects  no 
credit  on  that  somewhat  discordant  body.  Bancroft  will  be  remembered 
with  gratitude  bj-  future  generations. 


OVERLAND  TO  LOS  ANGELE5. 

BY  TBB  SALT   LAKE   KOrTE   IN    1S49. 


BT  JODCR  WALTER  VAI4  DTKE. 

T  have  been  requested  many  times  by  members  of  yoor  Society  to 
famish  a  sketch  of  my  trip  overland  and  some  pioneer  experiences.  My 
thne.  however,  is  so  fully  occtipietl  that  I  have  very  Httle  to  devote  to 
oDtside  matters;  besides,  I  have  hesitated  to  rejieat  the  events  of  pioneer 
days,  as  they  have  been  so  often  told  that  there  can  be  at  this  time  very 
little  interest  in  their  repetition.  I  say  repetition,  becatise  tbeexperience 
of  one  was  pretty  much  the  same  as  that  of  the  thousands  who  flocked 
to  this  State  at  that  time  by  the  overland  route.  The  wise  Ulysses  was 
made  to  say  to  Achilles,  while  sulking  in  his  tent,  that  "to  have  been, 
is  to  bang  quite  out  of  fashion,  like  a  rusty  mail  in  monumental  mock- 
ery." The  world  cares  very  little  for  the  pa«^  or  those  who  6gured  in 
it  further  than  the  recital  of  the  events  may  either  instnict  or  amuw 
those  of  the  present. 

About  the  time  T  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  Cleveland.  Ohio.  th« 
whole  country  was  electrified,  as  it  were,  by  the  accounts  of  rich  gold 
discoveries  in  California,  a  portion  of  the  countr>'  then  recently  ac- 
quired from  Mexico.  A  company  of  young  men,  inchiding  some  of  my 
friends  and  acquaintances,  was  organized  in  Cleveland  in  the  spring  of 
1849  to  come  overland  to  California;  and  being  in  the  right  frame  of; 
mind  for  a  little  adventtire,  it  did  not  require  ronoh  urging  to  induce  me 
to  join  it.  which  I  did. 

We  Icfi  Cleveland  on  the  last  of  May,  by  steamer  fc»r  Chicago,  where 
we  organized  an  outfit  for  the  plains.  That  city  at  that  time  was  one  of 
the  dirtiest  and  muddiest  imaginable:  streets  unpa\-cd,  excepting  a  few 
where  plank  were  used;  and  the  ordinary  roads  leading  from  it  nearly 
bottomless  in  mud.  The  place  gave  \-er>'  little  ei-idence  then  of  becom- 
ing the  leading  city  in  America  during  the  lifetime  of  many  of  the 
Argonauts.  fl 

We  left  Chicago  June  the  6th.  taking  a  direction  to  strike  the  Mis-  " 
SLssippi    River   oppusite   Burlington,  Iowa,  at  which    point   we   crossed 
June  i8th,  being  tweh-e  days  making   this  distance,  owing  to  the  condi- 
tion of  the  roads,  the  inexperience  of  the  men  with  that  kind  of  iravel- 
iag,  and  the  wild  unbroken  5tork  we  had  secured  for  the  trip. 


OVERIJIND   TO  LOS  ANGELES 


77' 


From  Burlington  we  went  hy  the  way  of  Osfcaloosa,  Iowd.  al  which 
fdacc  we  were  obliged  to  halt  and  have  an  overhauliug  of  our  outfit  by 
the  ahandonraent  of  some  of  our  hea^-y  wagons  and  the  substitution  of 
lighter  vehicles;  and  here  we  spent  the  4th  of  July. 

Between  the  De«  Moine?;  and  the  Missouri  we  saw  no  settlements. 
We  followed  the  oW  Mormon  trail  to  Council  Blufl»,  where  we  arrived 
July  t6th.  There  was  a  little  trading  place  at  or  near  Council  Bluffs 
called  Kancs\'illc.  established  by  the  Mormons  afler  being  driven  out  of 
the  Indian  Territory,  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river.  At  this  place 
three  of  our  party  coucluded  to  abandon  the  trip,  and  the  company  was 
dissolved  or  reorganizetl  and  the  men  thereafter  traveled  independently, 
but  remained  together.  The  late  Judge  O.  A.  Munn.  of  San  Jacinto 
(then  a  young  lawyer  from  Cleveland,  like  myself),  was  ray  especial 
companion  thereafter  during  the  trip. 

We  were  ferried  across  the  Missouri  River  above  Coimcil  Bluffs 
opposite  the  old  abandoned  Monuon  village  calletl  by  them  Winter 
Quarters,  from  which  they  had  Ijeeu  driven  by  the  authorities  of  the 
govemmeut.  as  already  mentioned.  We  left  the  Missouri  RiN-er  July 
24th  and  crossed  the  Elk  Horn  July  26th  about  where  the  Union  Pacific 
crosses  it;  Ihence  following  up  the  Platte  Valley  ou  the  north  side  of  the' 
river  about  on  the  line  of  said  road;  and  on  August  ist  came  up  to  a 
train  of  Mormon  emigrants. 

We  were  late  in  the  season  compared  with  the  great  rush  of  ovw- 
Und  gold  seekers  that  year;  in  fact,  I  think  one  of  the  last  parties.  The 
great  body  of  the  emigration  went  up  the  Missouri  by  boat;  and  most 
of  them  out6tted  and  left  the  frontier  from  the  town  of  St.  Joseph,  Mis- 
souri, striking  the  Platte  near  I-ort  Kearney.  The  route  we  look,  there- 
fore, was  not  so  much  traveled  and  the  feed  was  quite  good  until  we 
reached  that  poiut  where  the  main  road  came  in;  after  which  our  prog- 
ress was  very  slow,  inasmuch  as  the  whole  country'  near  the  road  was 
eaten  off  by  the  stock  of  the  vast  numbers  which  had  preceded  us.  As 
a  general  thing,  our  progre.ts  was  not  much  more  rapid  than  the  Mormon 
emigrauts,  and  we  frequently  tra\-eled  aloug  with  them,  and  from  one 
traiu  to  another,  the  rest  of  the  way  to  Salt  Lake.  And  for  the  reason 
slated  we  saw  very  few  buffalo  atoiig  the  route;  and  saw  no  Indians  till 
we  crossed  the  north  fork  of  the  Platte  about  twenty  miles  below  Fort 
Laramie.  This  was  the  last  day  of  August.  About  five  miles  above 
the  crossing  we  found  quite  a  large  encampment  of  Sioux  and  Cheyenne 
Indians.     The  trains  encamped  on  the  river  just  above  their  lodges. 

Another  member  of  the  party  and  myself  rode  on  in  advance  to  the 
fort.  The  road  all  along  above  Kearney  was  like  a  highway  of  nations — 
so  trodden  and  worn  by  the  immense  number  that  had  traveled  over  it 
As  we  rounded  a  point  on  the  road  we  caught  a  glimpM.  to  the  west  of 


lJ« 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHER/J  CAUFOHMA. 


as,  of  the  American  Bag  flutteriug  over  the  fort.  After  iwo  months' 
journey  across  the  plains  from  the  Iroatier  settlemeots  this  sight  was  a 
joyous  one  to  tis.  as  emblematic  of  the  presence  of  the  power  and  glory 
of  our  c"untr>-  evcii  here  in  the  midst  of  this  vast  wiWcmcss.  My 
cnrapaninn  returned  to  camp,  but  I  remained  over  as  the  guest  of  Major 
SandcrsoTi,  commandunt  of  the  fort,  until  next  day.  when  the  rest  of 
the  train  came  up. 

Beyond  this  point  the  main  road  passes  over  the  Black  Hills  and 
strikes  the  north  fork  of  the  Platte  near  the  mouth  of  the  Sweetwater, 
the  river  lietween  these  points  making  quite  a  bend  to  the  north.  Inas- 
much as  the  feed  along  the  main  road  was  all  eaten  oflf,  our  party,  as 
well  as  the  later  Mormons,  were  obliged  to  follow  up  the  river,  which 
lengthened  the  distance  and  caused  further  delay. 

When  we  arrived  at  Rock  Independence,  a  Mormon  Elder  was  dis- 
patched to  Salt  Lake  City,  as  a  sort  of  messenger  to  report  the  progress 
of  their  trains.  At  his  request  Munn  and  myself  started  with  him,  but 
Munn's  horse  soon  gave  out  and  he  fell  in  with  another  company  of 
Mormons  we  overtook  on  the  Sweetwater.  Prom  there  the  Mormon 
elder  and  myself  traveled  alone.  We  were  twelve  days  coming  into  Salt 
Lake  Cit>',  and  on  the  way  passed  at  large  number  of  Mormon  trains, 
camping  with  one  nearly  every  night  The  night  we  reached  Port 
Bridger  it  commenced  snowing,  and  continued  the  following  day,  so  we 
remained  over  at  the  fort.  The  altitude  there  is  so  high  that  snow  com- 
mences to  Sail  early  in  the  season. 

We  arri%'ed  in  Salt  Lake  Cit>'  on  the  8th  of  October.  In  about  ten 
days  or  two  weeks  the  remainder  of  our  party  came  in.  I  kept  notes  of 
OUT  trip  and  corresponded  with  a  Cleveland  paper,  sending  back  letters 
whenever  an  opportnnit>'  offered.  WTiilc  at  Salt  Lake  I  sent  back  two 
letters  descriptive  of  the  country  and  tliese  peculiar  people  who  had 
located  there,  then  a  thousand  miles  or  more  from  the  frontier. 

Owing  to  the  laieness  of  the  season  and  from  accounts  of  some 
Mormons  relumed  from  the  gold  mines  on  the  American  River,  it  was  evi- 
dent that  before  we  conld  reach  the  foot  of  the  Sierra  Nevada  it  would  be 
impossible  to  cross  with  any  degree  of  safety.  The  fate  of  the  Donner 
party  was  a  warning  against  any  such  foolhardy  attempt  in  the  winter 
season.  The  great  body  of  the  overland  emigrants  by  the  South  Pass 
route  preceded  us,  going  cither  b>*  the  Humboldt  or  Kort  Hall,  and  most 
of  them  had  already  reached  their  destination  in  the  Land  of  Gold. 
While  we  were  thus  delayed  at  Salt  Lake,  undetermined  whether  to  re- 
main over  winter  or  attempt  a  southern  route,  some  Missouri  traders — 
tPomeroy  Brothers — having  sold  out  their  raerchandise,  brought  into  the 
■Valley  early  in  the  summer,  were  preparing  to  take  their  li\*e  stock  and 
Irieghl  wagons  to  Southern  California.    W'e  concluded  to  join  them.     A 


OVERLAND  TO  LOS  ANGELES. 


n 


Mormon.  Captain  Jefferson  Hunt,  who  had  just  returned  from  San 
Bemardino,  where  they  had  located  a  colony,  was  engaged  as  a  guide. 
We  lef^  Salt  Lake  the  ^nl  of  November,  1849,  pursuing  a  southerly 
and  south  westerly  direction  along  the  foot  of  the  Wasatch  Mountains. 
The  route  is  through  a  series  of  tertile  valleys  to  the  point  where  the 
road  crottfes  the  southern  rim  of  the  great  I'tah  basin. 

The  Rrst  and  largest  valley  south  of  Salt  Lake  is  the  Utah  Valley. 
At  the  southern  end  of  the  Utah  Lake  we  struck  the  old  Spanish  trail, 
the  northern  route  traveled  by  the  Spaniards  between  the  pueblo  of  X«os 
Angeles  and  S.'tnta  Fe.  A  number  of  fine  streams  put  dowu  from  this 
range  of  mountains,  flowing  into  the  desert,  timbered  along  their  banks, 
the  largest  being  the  Spanish  Fork  and  Sevier  River.  Where  the 
range  turns  westerly  there  is  a  low  depression  called  the  Mountain 
Meadows.  It  was  a  faniuu!>  camping  place  on  the  line  of  the  old  Sj>an- 
ish  traiJ.  The  camp  ground  is  near  a  spring  at  the  foot  ot  the  mountain 
on  the  west  side  of  the  valley  or  meadow,  with  timber  on  the  slope  of 
the  mountain.  The  night  we  camped  there,  it  commenced  snowing  and 
we  were  obliged  to  corral  the  cattle  and  other  stock  and  guard  them; 
and  build  fires  of  the  dry  cedar  hauled  down  from  the  side  of  the 
mountain  to  keep  ourselves  warm.  The  storm  continued  the  next  day 
with  considerable  violence  and  the  stock  were  guarded  to  keep  them 
from  straying  off.  Owing  to  the  snow  there  was  no  chance  for  feed 
here,  so  wc  were  obliged  to  move  ou  without  delay.  It  was  ai  this  same 
camp  ground,  some  years  later,  that  a  party  of  emigrants  from  Arkansas 
and  Misstmri  were  attacked  by  Indians  and  some  .Mormons  as  allies; 
and,  after  l.>eing  given  assurance  of  protection  if  they  would  surrender, 
were  bnitally  massacred — men  women  and  children.  Soon  after  we 
comincncecl  descending  the  southern  slope  of  the  divide  the  weather  be- 
came warmer,  and  from  that  on  we  had  no  difficulty  as  far  as  the  climate 
was  concerned. 

We  reached  the  Santa  Clara,  a  tributary  of  the  Rio  Virgin,  Decem- 
ber the  I  ith.  The  Virgin  River  is  a  considerable  stream,  coming  down 
from  the  Wasatch  range  of  mountains  that  we  had  crossed,  and  flows 
southeasterly  into  the  Colorado.  Along  the  Santa  Clara  aud  Rio  Virgin 
we  foand  considerable  feed;  but  being  without  so  long,  already  the  stock 
were  nearly  starving;  and  many  cattle  gave  out  and  were  left  along  the 
road.  I  noticed  along  these  river  bottoms  cornstalks  and  some  squash  or 
pumpkins  stili  remaining  on  the  ground,  and  also  indications  of  irriga- 
tion, the  work  of  Indians,  of  course,  as  no  white  people  were  then  in  this 
region  of  country.  These  Indians  are  the  Piutes,  described  by  Fremont 
in  his  reportof  explorations  of  1843-4  as  causing  him  considerable  trouble 
on  his  return  by  this  same  route.  They  are  a  marauding  and  savage 
tribe  of  Indians  and  seek  every  opportunity  to  waylay  aud  massacre  small 


8o 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  CAUFORSIA. 


perdcs  or  stragglers  from  larger  ones.  Our  company  was  so  lar^.  hovT' 
ever,  that  we  were  not  troubled  with  them  except  in  the  •ttcating  ani 
killing  of  stock  that  wandered  from  camp. 

Las  Vegas,  further  oti  tht*;  way,  is  another  famous  camping  gronndJ 
It  is  a  targe  meadow  with  several  springs  at  the  head  which,  itnititig. 
form  quite  a  stream  flowing  through  it.  One  of  these  springs  is  .10  large 
as  to  make  a  good  bathing  pool,  and  the  water  is  warm  and  boils  np 
with  such  force  as  to  buoy  the  swimmer  like  a  cork. 

We  were  at  a  point  about  where  the  state  line  crosses  this  trail  at 
the  close  of  the  year  1849  and  the  beginning  of  that  of  1850;  as  to  which 
side  there  is  some  doubt.  HoTi-ever,  in  after  years,  the  Society  of  Cali- 
fornia Pioneers  gave  me  the  benefit  of  the  doubt  by  admitting  me  as  a 
member  of  its  body :  its  constitution  requires  the  applicant  to  hav* 
within  the  state  prior  to  January  ist,  185a 

So  many  of  the  cattle  bad  died  or  been  abandoned  that  the  remainder 
were  not  able  to  move  the  trains  except  ytty  slowly;  and  in  consequence 
we  bad  already  exceeded  the  lime  anticipated  in  getting  into  the  settle- 
ments, and  our  pro^nsions  were  nearly  exhausted.  It  was  proposed 
therefore  that  some  one  should  go  ahead  and  send  back  some  relief,  and 
about  a  dozen  of  us  volunteered  for  that  purpose.  We  reached  the 
Mojave  River  the  second  day  after  leaving  the  camp,  at  a  point  not  far 
below  Barstow,  as  near  as  I  can  judge.  We  continued  along  the  same 
old  Spauish  trail  that  we  had  been  following  up  that  river  and  across  to 
the  norihem  end  of  the  Cajou  Pass,  where  we  arrived  quite  late  the  last 
day  of  January'.  Our  provisions  being  exhausted  and  there  being  a 
tooon,  we  concluded  to  venture  through  the  pass  that  night  instead  of 
remaining  over  till  morning.  From  my  notes  I  quote:  "I  never  shall 
forget  this  night's  adveuture  111  this  wild  mountain  pass.  We  issued 
from  the  pass  into  the  valley  about  four  o'clock  the  morning  of  February 
the  1st.  We  baited  at  the  mouth  of  thecafiou  until  daylight,  and  then 
renewed  our  walk.  If  we  hadn't  been  in  a  famished  aud  exhausted  con* 
dition  we  might  have  appreciated  with  pleasure  the  agreeable  change  in 
the  country.  Eveu  yesterday  wc  were  travcliug  in  a  dr>'  and  barren 
desert;  today  we  are  treading  on  beds  of  beautiful  flower.-*  and  wild 
clover,  aud  the  morning  breeze  is  laden  with  perfume." 

We  reached  the  Cucanionga    Rancho  about   ten   o'clock,  Kebniarv 
1st.     We  found   an  .American   family  here  and  were  supplied  with   an  _ 
abundance,  including  milk  and  butter — a  rare  treat,  indeed,  and  a  great  fl 
change  in  the  fare  we  had  been  accu.stonied  to  during  the  many  months 
of  our  trip.     A  few  day-s  later  we  passed  over   to  the  Chino  Ranch,  bet- 
ter  known  among  the  immigrants  of  that   period  as  Williams's  Ranch.  ■ 
Colonel  Williams,  the  owner,  had,  during   that  season,  sent  out  many 
parlies  for   the  relief  of  the  immigrants.     The   next   morning  Colonel 


I 


I 


J 


OVERLAND  TO  LOS  ANGELES. 


Williams,  furnished  me  a  horse  and  a  guide  to  come  into  Los  Angeles,  as 
1  had  some  letters  and  packages  to  deliver  to  parties  here.  On  the  way 
we  stopped  ot  Rowlands  on  the  Puente  and  were  treated  in  the  same 
hospttabk  manner  chanicteristic  of  all  the  ranch  owners  here. 

In  a  week  or  ten  days  the  other  members  of  our  Cleveland  party 
came  in  with  the  train,  and  we  had  thus  crossed,  the  continent.  We  had 
consumed  eight  months  on  the  trip — ^much  longer  than  was  anticipated 
when  starting— .stilt  all  arnv'ed  well  and  no  one  had  been  seriously  sick 
on  the  way,  though  subjected  to  many  hardships.  This  could  not  be 
said  in  regard  to  most  of  the  overlflnd  companies  of  that  year.  The 
numerous  graves  along  the  roatl  up  the  Platte  and  through  the  Black 
Hills  were  sad  evidences  that  many  a  poor  fellow  had  dropped  by  the 
way. 

The  year  1S49-50  is  memorable  as  one  of  early  and  heavy  rains,  as 
well  as  for  deep  suows  in  the  Sierra  Nevada.  At  the  rime  our  large 
party  came  from  Salt  Lake  to  this  place,  encumbered  with  ox  teams  and 
heavy  wagons,  and  without  any  further  inconvenience  than  the  delay 
caused  by  the  poor  condition  of  the  stock,  nothing  but  a  bird  or  an  ex- 
pert on  snow  .^hoes  could  have  scaled  the  wall  of  ice  and  snow  over  the 
Sierra  Nevada  range.  This  fact  of  itself  shows  that  this  is  the  natural 
route  for  a  railroad  from  Salt  I^akc  to  the  Pacific.  The  grades  are  much 
lighter  and  trains  could  be  run  over  it  all  sea.sons  of  the  year  without 
the  neces-sity  of  forty  miles  of  expensi%-e  snow  sheds. 

When  we  arrived  here  the  season  was  at  its  best  and  the  country 
charming  in  appearance.  There  was  very  little  business  carried  on, 
however,  aside  from  stock  raising  and  matters  incident  thereto.  The 
great  body  of  immigrants,  both  by  land  and  water  entered  Califorota  io 
the  central  part  of  the  State.  Kven  of  those  who  came  this  way  over- 
laud  very  few  remained  here;  the  upper  portion  of  the  State,  where  the 
mines  were  located,  was  the  point  of  attraction. 

While  waiting  for  an  opportunity  to  go  north.  I  lormed  the  acquaint- 
ance of  several  of  the  English-speaking  residents  of  Los  Angeles.  Among 
those  I  particularly  remember  was  Don  Abel  Stearns,  as  he  was  called, 
who  was  one  of  the  leading  men  here.  He  had  acquired  large  landed  in- 
terests and  married  in  one  of  the  prominent  Spanish  families;  had  beenal. 
calde  and  held  other  offices  under  the  old  regime,  and  was  a  member  of  the 
first  constitutional  con\-ention.  H.I).  Wilson  was  another;  he  afterwards 
represented  this  county  in  the  Senate.  Benjamin  Hayes,  a  lawyer  from 
Missouri  had  just  arri\'ed  here  by  the  Gila  route;  had  oi>ened  a  law  office 
already,  and  wished  me  to  remain  and  go  into  practice  with  him.  He 
was  subsequently  District  Judge  of  this  judicial  district.  This  place  at 
the  time  was  still  a  small  Spanish  pueblo  and  gave  no  promise  of  much 
growth  in  the  immediate  future. 


8j        historical    society    of    SOUTHER!^   CAUFORNIA. 


The  p'eat  body  of  population  drawn  here  by  the  discovery-  of  gold 
settled  in  the  central  and  northern  portions  of  the  State-  The  upper 
portion  of  the  State  n-a.-;  thoroughly  explored,  towns  founded  and  cities 
built.  Every  branch  of  enterpri**  was  developed  —mining,  commerce 
and  apiculture — while  these  southern  counties  remained  in  nearly  the 
same  condition  as  before  the  acquisition  of  the  State.  Cattle  and  horses 
covered  the  plains,  but  the  great  resources  of  this  section,  in  other  re- 
spects, were  undeveloped,  and  in  fact  it*  capabiHttes  were  not  then  real- 
ixed.  Nearly  everything,  aside  from  li\-e  stock,  was  shipped  here  &om 
San  Francisco.  Owing  to  their  meager  population,  these  counties  were 
hardly  taken  into  account  in  the  political  conventions  and  other  matters 
concerning  the  State.  They  were  referred  to  as  the  "cow  counties," 
not  so  much  by  way  of  deri.iion  as  expressive  of  the  pastoral  pursuits  of 
the  people.  This  condition  of  things  continued  so  long  that  it  is  diffi- 
cult, even  at  this  late  day.  for  the  old-timers  of  the  upper  portion  of  the 
State  to  realize  that  a  change  has  taken  place  down  here.  However,  it 
U  be^nniug  to  dawn  on  them  thai  this  section  has  taken  on  a  new  life 
and  is  forging  ahead  in  population,  wealth  and  enterprise  at  a  rate  that 
threatens  to  catch  up  with  them,  and  if  they  do  not  bestir  themselves 
may  outstrip  ihem  in  the  race. 

One  word  in  reference  to  the  pioneers  and  this  paper  closes.  So 
much  of  the  Bret  Ilarte  style  of  flashy  literature  has  been  written  conccm- 
iug  the  early  Califomiaus  that  their  true  character  has  been  misunder- 
stood by  thotse  not  acquainted  with  the  real  facts.  It  is  true  there  were 
many  adventurers  and  lawless  characters  as  in  other  new  states  and  ter- 
ritories, but  in  no  greater  proportion.  The  mass  of  the  early  population 
was  composed  of  law-abiding  and  enterprising  people.  Most  of  them 
were  well-educated  aud  possessed  all  the  elements  that  go  to  make  up 
good  citizenship.  As  is  well  kuown  Congress  failed  to  establish  a  terri- 
torial gowrument  here  or  even  to  pa»s  an  enabling  act  for  the  creation  of 
a  state  government.  The  people  were  left,  as  it  were,  ^^-ithout  any  laws, 
and  still,  not  ouly  in  towns  but  Ihroughout  the  mining  regions,  life  and 
property  were  as  safe  as  in  most  older  states.  Of  their  own  motion  a 
constitution  for  a  state  government  was  framed  and  adopted,  which  in 
many  respects  was  a  model.  State  officers  and  a  legislature  were  elected, 
laws  passsed  and  judges  and  other  officers  appointed  and  elected  to  en- 
force them.  In  fact,  the  whole  machiner>'  of  a  state  goverraent  was  put 
in  operation  before  Congress  came  to  our  relief  by  admitting  the  stale, 
which  was  not  till  the  gth  of  September,  iHsg.  The  land  grants  Con- 
gress had  made  to  the  newer  states  for  the  purpose  of  interal  improve- 
ments was,  by  a  pro\-ision  in  our  constitution,  di\-erted  to  the  cause  of 
education,  which  was  rati6ed  by  the  admission  of  the  State  into  the  Un- 
ion.     Provision  was  also  made  for  the  early  founding  of  a  State  Uni- 


OVERLAND  TO  LOS  ANGELES.  S3 

versity.  The  laws  of  our  early  legislatures  were,  in  many  respects,  far  in 
advance  of  those  of  the  other  States,  and  have  been  since  followed  by 
many  of  them,  for  instance,  laws  in  reference  to  the  rights  of  married 
women,  reform  in  judicial  procedure,  and  many  other  questions.  In 
learning  and  ability  the  early  bench  and  bar  ranked  high.  Many  new 
and  important  questions  arose  in  this  State  growing  out  of  the  mining 
industries  and  the  Mexican  and  Spanish  grants,  and  the  decisions  of 
our  early  courts  in  solving  these  and  other  questions  compare  favorably 
with  those  of  the  higher  courts  of  the  rest  of  the  country.  As  merchants, 
business  men,  and  in  all  the  various  walks  of  life,  the  early  pioneers  were 
not  behind  their  brethren  in  other  States.  But  their  work  in  founding 
this  State  and  shaping  its  institutions  is  their  best  eulogy ;  they  need 
no  other. 


NECROLOGY. 


The  fallowing  members  of  the  Society  died  during  the  year  [894: 

ANTONIO   FRANCO  CORONRL. 

Antonio  Franco  Coronel  was  hnm  in  the  City  of  Mexico  October  sr. 
1817.  He  came  with  his  father  to  California  in  1S34.  In  1838,  he  was 
appointed  Assistant  Secretary  of  Tribunals  of  the  City  of  Los  Angeles. 
In  1838,  he  was  made  Judge  of  the  First  Instance.  In  1844.  General 
Micheltorena  appointed  him  Captain  and  Inspector  of  the  southern 
missions. 

During  the  invasion  of  Southern  California  by  the  Americans  iu 
1 846  he  was  made  Captain  of  Artillery  and  was  present  at  the  battles  of 
Paso  de  Bartolo  and  La  Mesa.  In  1850  and  1851  he  was  County  As- 
sessor and  made  the  first  assessment  of  Los  Angeles  Count>'.  He  was 
elected  Mayor  of  the  city  of  Los  Angeles  in  1853,  and  served  ten  years 
in  the  Citj'  Council.  He  was  a  member  of  the  State  Legislature,  and 
for  four  years  served  as  State  Treasurer.  In  1873,  he  was  married  U) 
Dona  Mariana  Williamson. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Coronel  were  intimate  friends  of  Mrs.  Helen  Hunt 
Jackson,  and  gave  her  great  assistance  in  her  study  of  Mission  Indian 
life.  She  presented  them  the  first  copy  issued  of  her  famous  storj', 
"Ramona."  Mr.  Coronel,  with  the  assistance  of  his  wife,  had  gathered 
GDC  of  the  largest  collections  of  California  curios  in  existence. 

Don  Antonio  Coronel  took  an  active  part  iu  the  organization  of  the 
Historical  Society  of  Southern  California.  Both  he  and  his  wife  have 
licen  active  members  of  the  Society  since  its  organization. 

He  died  at  his  home  in  this  city  at  midnight,  April  17.  1S94. 


PIO    PICO. 

Pio  Pico,  the  last  Go\'ernor  of  Atta  California  under  Mexican 
rule,  was  bom  at  the  mission  of  San  Gabriel  May  5,  rSoi.  He  died  in 
this  city  September  11,  1894.     (See  sketch  of  his  life  on  page  55  et  seq.) 


CBAS.    MULirOLLAND. 

Charles  MulhoUand  was  born  in  Ireland  iu  1839.  He  came  to 
America  in  1862.  He  entered  the  United  States  Nav>- and  ser\-ed  as 
Assistant  Engineer  to  the  close  of  the  Civil  War.  In  1880,  he  repre- 
sented Plumas  and  La.s.sen  Counties  in  the  Assembly  of  the  California 
Ivcgislature.  He  was  an  enthusiastic  admirer  of  California  mountain 
scenery,  and  author  of  a  number  of  papers  on  the  scenery,  resources, 
etc..  of  the  Owens  Valley  country.  He  died  at  Independence.  Inyo 
County,  in  July,  1894. 


REPORTS    OF    OFFICERS. 


SECRETARY'S  REPORT. 

1894. 

XoBiber  of  meetings  b«ld .10 

Nonihcr  of  papen  read. 15 

Tfae  fallowing  are  the  titles  of  tfae  papers  read  : 

JANUARY    MEKTINC;. 

Inaugural  Address  of  President  C.  P.  Dorland. 

"The  Riot  Precipitated  by  LosAngeles  Chinamen, "  byH.  D.  Barrows. 

•'  The  Chinese  Massacre  at  LosAngeles  in  1871,"  by  C.  P.  Dorland. 

FEBRUARY    MElfTING. 

"A  Brief  History  of  Couchological  Kesearcbes  in  San  Pedro  Bay  and 
Vicinity."  by  Mrs.  M.  Durton  Williamson. 

"  Meteorological  Myths  and  Superstitions,"  by  J.  M.  Guiun. 

MARCH    MEETING. 

"  The  Old  Tehunga  Grove."  by  Emma  Seckel  Marshall. 

"  Men  and  Social  Customs  of  California  in  the  30's,"  by  F,  J,  PoUeyi 

APRIL  MKKTING. 

"Great  Earthquake  of  1872  in  Owens  Valley, "  by  C.  Mulholland. 
"  Biographical  Sketch  of  Don  Antonio  Coronel,"  by  H.  i>.  Barrows. 

MAV   MKKTlNG. 

"  Historical  Debris,"  by  J.  M.  Guiun. 

JfNK    MRKTIKr., 

Elopement  of  Capt,  H.  H.  Fitch  and  Dona  Josela  CarriUo.  and  the 
Famous  Kcclesia-stical  Trial  of  Fitch  at  San  Gabriel,"  by  F.  J.  PoUey. 

JULY    MEKTING. 

"CaHfomia  in  the  Thirties,"  by  H.  D.  Barrows. 

OCTOBKK    MEKTINr,. 

"American  Influence  at  the  Battle  ofCahuenga, 1845,"  by  F.J.  Polly. 

NOVEMBER    ilEHTING. 

Pic   Pico,    A  Biographical   and   Character    Sketch   of  the   Last 
Mexican  Governor  of  California,"  by  H.  D.  Barrows. 

nRCKMBKR    MEETING. 

"  Recollections  of  the  Old  Court  House  and  It.s  Builder."  by 
H.  D,  Barrows. 

The  meetings  of  the  Society  ba*-e  been  fairly  well  attended.  The 
papers  read  cover  a  wide  range  of  subjects,  but  nearly  all  of  them  treat 
on  some  phase  of  California  history,  ihe  work  of  the  Society  has  been 
done  by  a  few  members,  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  during  the  coming  year 
the  numt>er  of  workers  may  be  increased. 

Respectfully   submitted. 

J.  M.  GviNN,  Secretary. 


To  the  Olfifers  and  O^emh'r'i  of  tbf  Historita/  Society  of  Southern  California  : 
We,  the  undersigned  meuiberi  of  tbe  Committee  on  Publication,  do 
respectfully  report  that,  in  accordance  with  the  order  of  the  Board  of 
Directors,  we  have  selected  matter  lor,  and  have  had  priutM,  500  copies 
of  the  Society's  Publication  for  iS'>4.  In  the  selection  of  papers  for 
the  Annual,  we  have  endeavored  to  select  those  especially  pertaining  to 
the  history  of  California  A  number  of  valuable  papers  remain  in  the 
Iiands  of  the  Committee,  which,  for  want  of  funds,  cannot  be  published 
thia  year.  It  should  be  understood  that  the  papers  in  this  and  in  previ- 
ous publications  of  the  Society  set  forth  the  Wews  of  their  authors  on 
tbe  various  subjects  of  which  they  treat.  The  Society  does  not  hold 
itself  responsible  for  the  statements  made  nor  the  opinions  exprestsed. 

The  Uy-Laws  of  the  Society  require  that  a  copy  of  cverv*  paper  read 
before  the  Society  shall  be  filed  with  the  Secretary.  Several  authors 
have  failed  to  comply  with  this  requirement.  Tbe  titles  of  such  papers 
do  not  appear  in  the  list  lielow. 

IlSPmi.ISItHD    PAPKKS    IN    POSSKSSION  OF  THH  SOCIKTY. 

T     "Annals  of  Ixw  Angeles,"  by  George  Butler  Griffin. 

2  "Legal  History  of  the  First  Protestant  Church  Organization    in 

Southern  California,"  by  C.  N.  Wilson. 

3  "  History,  and  the  Study  of  Histor>',''  by  r>r.  Edwin  W.  Fowler, 

4  *'  History  of  Tariff  legislation."  by  Fred  H.  Clark.  ~ 

5  "On  Looking  Backward."  by  George  Butler  CrifEn. 

6  "  Fragments  of  I<ocal  History,"  by  J.  M.  Guinu. 

7  "  Memorial  and  Biographical  Sketch  of  Hon.  Henry  Hamilton,"  by 

J.  J.  Ayers. 

8  "Origin   of  the   Historical   Society   of  Southern    California,"   by 

Noah  Levering. 

9  "  Biography  of  Judge  Volney  E.  Howard,"  by  Gen.  John  Mansfield. 

10  "  Extracts  from  the  Diarj"  of  a  Pioneer  of  1838,"  by  J.  M.  Guinn, 

11  "  The  Great  Storm  of  Februar>'  22.  i8qi,"  by  J.  M.  Guinn. 

13  "  History  of  the  Ladies'  Clubs  and  Societies  of  Los  Angeles" — A 
.series  of  papers  written  by  representatives  of  the  different  clubs 
and  societies;  these  were  edited,  compiled  and  bound  into  a  vol- 
ume by  Mrs.  M.  Burton  WilUarason.  They  form  a  book  of  172 
pages  of  valuable  historical  matter. 

13  "Relics  of  the  Donncr  Party,"  by  Emma  Seckel  Marshall. 

14  "Reminiscences  of  the  Bell  Block  and  of  Capt.  Alex.  Bell,"  by 

H.  D.  Barrows. 

15  "The  Historical  Society  of  Southern  California— Its  Past,  Present 
and  Pa-wiblc  Future,"  by  J.  M.  Guinn. 


I 

I 


REPORTS    OF   OFFICERS.  S? 

i6     "  The  Financial  Panic  of  1857,"  by  R.  H.  Hewitt. 

17  "The  Big  Tejunga  Grove,"  by  Emma  Seckel  Marshall. 

18  "The    Riot    Precipitated    by  the    Los  Angeles  Chinamen,*'   by 

H.  D.  Barrows. 

19  "  Meteorological  Myths  and  Superstitions,"  by  J.  M.  Guinn. 

20  "Sketch   of    the   Life   of    Don   Antonio   F.    Coronel,"  by  H.  D. 

Barrows. 

21  "John  Charles  Fremont,"  by  A.  W.  Blair. 

Respectfully  submitted. 

J.  M.  Guinn,  ^ 

E.  Baxter,  !■  Pub.  Com. 

T.  L.  Kelso,  J 


CURATOR'S  REPORT. 

Numlier  of  bound  volumes  (cloth  or  leather)  in  the  library 700 

Number  of  pamphlets  and  paper-covered  books 3^85 

Number  of  daily  newspapers  received  and  filed  for  binding 6 

Number  of  weekly  newspapers  received  and  filed  for  binding 26 

Number  of  monthly  magazines 3 

Number  of  quarterlies 5 

The  Society  has  a  large  collection  of  curios,  relics,  pictures,  photo- 
graphs, autographs,  maps,  and  manuscripts  in  Spanish;   also  files  of  Los 
Angeles  newspapers,  nearly  complete,  running  back  forty  years. 
Respectfully  submitted, 

J.  M.  Guinn,  Curator. 


TREASURER'S  REPORT. 

I  submit  the  following  report  of  receipts  and  expenditures; 

RECEIPTS. 

Balance  on  hand  at  the  beginning  of  the  year J    5  30 

Received  from  membership  dues  and  fees to4  25~fi09  55 

DISBURSEMENTS, 

Postage,  cards  and  envelopes Ji  i  35 

Advertising  and  printing  notices 3  75 

Expressage  on  books ...    4  y>—    ^9  50 

Balance  on  hand $  9°  05 

Edwin  Baxter.  Treasurer. 


Organized  November  i,  i8S?.  Incorporated  February  i),  1891. 


ANNUAL  PUBLICATION 


OF  THE 


Historical  Society 


OF 


Southern  California 

Los  Angeles 
189? 

Published  by  the  Society 


LOS  ANGELES,  CAL 

CALIFORNIA  VOICE  PRINT 

iS9S 


CONTENTS 

PACE 

Officers  of  the  Society,  1895-96 4 

Inaugural  Address  of  President  Edwin  Baxter .  " .   5 

Origin  of  the  Historical  Society  of  Southern  California — N.  Levering.  ...  9 

Recollections  of  CapL  Alex .  Bell  and  the  Bell  Block — H.  D.  Barrows 11 

A  History  of  University  Town — Mrs.  M.  Burton  Williamson 19 

Memorial  Sketch  of  Col.  J.  J.  Warner — H.  D.  Barrows 23 

From  Arizona  to  California  in  the  Early  '70s — P.  W.  Dooner 30 

Ship  Building  at  San  Gabriel— F.  J.  Policy 34 

The  Plan  of  Old  Los  Angeles--J.  M.  Guinn 40 

The  Recent  Origin  of  Man — Stephen  Bowers,  A.  M.  Ph.  D 51 

Date  of  the  first  Discovery  of  Gold  in  California — L  L.  Given 59 

Report  of  the  Publication  Committee 60 

Report  of  the  Secretary,  1895 '. 61 

Report  of  the  Treasurer,  1895 62 

Report  of  the  Curator,  1895 6a 


OFFICERS  OF  THE  SOCIETY. 


1895 

OFFICERS: 


Edwin  Baxter President 

Mrs.  M.  Burton  Williamson         -         -  First    Vice-President 

Rev.  J.  Adam Second  Vice  President 

H.  D.  Barrows         - Treasurer 

J.  M.  GuiNN Secretary  and  Curator 

BOARD  OF  DIRECTORS: 

Edwin  Baxter  J.  M,  Guinn 

Rev.  J.  Adam  H.  D.  Barrows 

John  Mansfield  T.  L.  Kelso 

Mrs.  M.  Burton  Williamson 


1896 

OFFICERS  (ELECT): 

Frank  J.  Polley President 

Mrs.  M.  Burton  Williamson        -  First  Vice-President 

A.  C.  Vroman Second  Vice-President 

Edwin  Baxter Treasurer 

J.  M.  GuiNN Secretary  and  Curator 

BOARD  OF  DIREC'J'ORS: 

Frank  J.  Polley      J.  M.  Guinn 
A.  C.  Vroman  Edwin  Baxter 

Rev.  J.  Adam  H.  D.  Barrows 

Mrs.  M.  Burton  Williamson 


HISTORICAL    SOCIETY 


OP 


SOUXHERN    CALIFORNIA. 


LOS  ANGELES,  1895. 


PRESIDENTS  INAUGURAL  ADDRESS. 


BV   B.    SAXTBIL 


[Delivered,  January  7,  i^QS-] 

FeUaw  Memiten  oj  the  Hislurical  tSor.irty  of  Southern  CcUifomia — 
Laukis  ani>  Gentlekkn: 

[(  is  incumbcni  upon  your  president  to  present  to  jrou  some  su^estions, 
on  assuming  the  duties  of  his  offitx. 

What  t  shall  say  to-ni^tit  may  not  be  different  in  its  material  features 
from  what  has  been  presented  Iiy  my  jHcdcccssors — only  common  place — 
neither  original  nor  ncir. 

Our  constitution  declares  the  olijects  of  this  society  to  be:  "The  col- 
lection and  preservation  of  all  material  which  can  have  any  be4ring  upon  the 
history  of  ihe  Pacific  coast  in  general  and  of  Southern  California  in  particu. 
lar;  the  discussion  of  historical,  literary  or  scientific  subjects,  and  the  read- 
ing of  papers  thereon  ;  and  the  trial  of  such  scientific  ex|>erimenis  as  shall  be 
determined  by  the  society." 

The  word  "history"  is  said  to  be  derived  from  a  I  Jiin  word  signifying  a 
tnatter  of  record ;  or  Greek  words  signifying  knowing,  learned ;  and,  to 
inquire,  explore,  or  learn  by  inspection  or  inquiry.  History,  therefore,  in- 
cludes, or  treats  of,  almost  everything  we  know,  sec,  do  or  tuffer,  present  as 
well  as  ])ast 

Since  our  organization  other  societies  have  come  into  existence  in  this 
city,  and  in  Southern  California,  among  which  might  be  mentioned  the  Scieo* 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOVTHERS  CAUFORXfA. 


tiflc  Society,  which,  its  name  would  indtrate  to  be  devoted  nioic  exclusively 
to  the  studjr  and  discussion  oi  scientific  subjects,  and  embracing  questions  not 
historical,  aside  from  the  facts  it  seeks  to  establish,  the  existence  of  which, 
when  settled,  properly  becomes  a  m-ittcr  of  history.  Anwng  otheri  also 
might  be  mentioned  the  Friday  Morning  Club— more  exclusively  for  women. 

These  other  societies  deal  luostly  with  .subjecit  not  necessarily  pertinent 
to  the  line  of  our  investigations,  and  which  we  inny  well  leave  out  of  our 
plans,  recognizing  the  sister  societies  as  co  ordinate  witn  ours,  each  having  its 
own  sphere  and  its  own  special  work.  But  in  sc  far  as  it  is  necessary  to  in- 
Tcsligate  the  origin,  formation  or  history  of  rocks,  ores,  shells,  fishes,  reptiles, 
beasts  and  birds,  and  even  of  man  himftcll'  in  many  case-s  from  relics  and 
fragmentary  remains,  by  scientific  knowledge,  which  points  to  certain  eras  in 
the  world's  existence,  and  again,  by  reflection,  determine  the  eras  by  their 
present  condition  and  sometimes  by  petrified  particles,  we  cannot  wholly  sepa- 
rate history  from  science. 

Some  of  our  newer  citizens,  recently  arrived  on  this  coast,  who  naturally 
wish  to  join  and  lake  part  with  us,  are  persons  who  have  been  iniercsled  in 
the  history  o(  other  parts  of  our  country,  east  of  the  great  "divide,"  and  in 
scicnlifico-hisiorical  subjects  there.  Their  minds  have  been  actively  trained 
on  the  very  line?  which  will  render  them  our  most  valuable  members.  These 
cannot  Write  or  *pexk  with  personal  knowledge  of  tne  history,  either  animate 
or  inanimate,  of  l^outhern  California  or  of  the  Pacific  coast.  But  they  can 
pve  us  inntruclivc  and  cKceedingly  interesting  essays  or  historical  papers. 
regarding  or  concerning  the  localities  where  they  have  lived,  and,  in  fact  upon 
subjects  affecting  the  whole  country,  which  will  tend  to  throw  light  on  the 
history  of  this  coast,  oi  of  its  aborigines  or  earlier  occupant:*;  as,  for  instance, 
many  of  the  eastern  Indian  tribes,  their  habits,  occupations  tombs,  etc, 
which  will  serve  (o  show  their  relation  or  otherwise  to  those  of  this  coast  and 
locality. 

Foi  the  benefit  of  any  such,  who  have  dcuUed  ihetr  ability  to  assist  us, 
and  doubt  iheir  being  able  to  derive  any  benefit  from  membership  in  om 
society,  f  deem  it  not  amiss  lo  say  here,  that  we  have  always  warmly  wel- 
corned  and  highly  appreciated  all  well  considered  papers  of  that  nature, 
though  they  only  indirectly,  or  by  comparison,  affect  the  history  of  Califor- 
nia. In  fact,  most  of  us  are  cumi>aralively  new  residents,  who  came  from 
localities  distant  from  L-ach  other  and  from  this  coast.  New  comers,  too, 
are  inclined  to  seek  old  re&tdcnis  and  ask  questions.  Information  thus 
obtained  is  T'equenily  new  to  older  settlers. 

It  is  neither  necessary  nor  practicable  that  this  society  or  its  mem- 
bers or  contributors  cunfine  their  crforts  to  the  discovery  or  record  of 
events  or  facts,  one  hundred,  fifty,  thirty,  twenty,  or  even  five  years  in 
the  put.     True,  we  have  members  who   know  something  of  the  more  an- 


PRESIDE.WS  fNAUGURAL  AOrHlESS. 


cJent  history  of  our  Suiie,  and  this  part  oi'  the  State,  by  pcrMinal  acqtuint- 
ancc  with  the  former  occupants  who  have  gone  from  earth.  Many  more 
are  not  members  who  have  retentive  memories  ot  the  earlier  times.  The 
acquaintance  of  such  should  be  cultivated  and  their  store-houses  unlocked 
whenever  we  can  find  them,  that  the  more  important  facts  may  be  recorded 
and  given  to  the  world. 

It  is  well  to  record  and  preserve  the  record  of  the  more  recent  events 
as  they  occur,  or  as  soon  after  as  they  can  be  impartially  weighed.  The 
last  two  years  have  been  eventful.  A  great  financial  panic  has  swept  over 
the  land.  We  should  endeavor  to  put  in  brief,  compact  and  concise  form, 
its  effect  upon  ihis  coast  and  especially  Southern  California.  The  record 
of  it  in  periodicals  is  smothered  in  chaff;  we  want  only  the  wheat  This 
crisis  has  been  followed  by  a  year  of  aim  ost  unparalleled  depression,  stagna- 
tion of  bnsiness  and  enforced  idleness  of  thousands  of  people.  Men  have 
congregated  in  what  seem?d  to  be  arinics,  and  cnarched  acrosi  the  country 
to  and  fro.  Traffic  and  travel  and  labor  have  been  suspended  by  edicts  froio 
secret  orders  ;  and  lawlessness  has  supervened  in  such  proportions  as  to  call 
out  the  military  arm  of  the  government.  It  is  well  known  that  the  reports 
that  went  abroad  anJ  were  published  jn  the  East,  of  the  part  that  California 
and  Calltornians,  and  Southern  Califomians  enacted,  were  fearfully  distorted) 
and  even  now  have  not  Iwen  corrected. 

So,  also,  locally  we  have  the  strange  anomaly  that,  during  the  very 
"hardest"  times,  when  thousands  arc  on  the  verge,  and  many  actually  over 
the  verge  into  the  vortex  of  financial  ruin,  we  have  an  era  of  building  of  cosily 
wid  commodious  blocks,  business  liuuses,  and  even  of  JwL*Mings,  that  is  phe- 
nomenal. 

Some  of  us  should  crystalize  these  facts,  briefly  but  not  ilryly. 

The  first  impressions  of  new-comers,  notes  of  things  most  noticeable,  of 
what  is,  or  was  when  they  first  came,  written  down  and  presented  here,  in 
future  years,  and  even  now,  if  read  abroad  as  endorsed  by  this  society,  would 
be  both  interesting  and  valuable  history.  Suc't  papers  arc  sure  lo  call  atten- 
tion to  the  distinctive  featurci  of  Southern  California.  They  would  be  the 
records  of  events,  practically  written  on  the  spot.  What  t«  now,  will  be  his- 
tory of  the  past,  next  year. 

Doibtless  most  of  us  are  usually  imjiressed  with  the  idea  that  our  own 
experiences  axe  all  or  nearly  all,  commonplace.  But  1  apprehend  there  are 
few,  if  any.  who  do  not  regret  that  ihcy  did  not  put  in  writing  and  preserve 
the  record  of  many  events  ami  facts  known  to  them  a  scch-c  at  more  years 
ago,  that  then  seemed  trivial.  Sut  now  seem  very  im|>ortant,  We  all  know 
that  not  all  the  history  uf  a  period,  and  seldom  all  the  facts  concerning  a 
single  event,  can  be  written  by  a  single  individual,  even    though    an  eyc-wii- 


HISTORICAL    SOCI&TY  OF  SOUTHERN  CAUFORSIA 


nCBS.  Our  society  suggests  perpetuity,  and  perpetuity  is  only  obtained  by 
continued  nctivicy.  We  are  all  engaged  in  other  pursuits  than  writing  or  dis- 
covering history.     Therefore  each  can  only  bring  a  fragment. 

I  made  mention  of  the  Scientific  Society  and  others  co-ordinate  with 
ours.  A  suggestion  has  been  made  that  an  association  of  all  the  Historical, 
Scentific  and  Literary  socieries  existing  here  he  formed  lor  mutual  benefit. 
The  several  societies  might  thus,  both  help  and  relieve  one  another.  I  com- 
mend this  suggestion  to  your  attention. 

There  is  one  matter  of  business  to  which  I  will  call  attention.  It  is  an 
evil  which  affects  alt  volunteer  societies.  The  entrance  fee  to  this  society  is 
two  dollars;  the  annual  dues  are  three  dollars,  payable  quarterly.  This  has 
been,  so  far,  our  only  source  of  revenue.  We  are  not  only  an  association,  but 
a  corporation,  of  which  every  member  is  a  part;  and  by  signing  the  roll  of 
members,  every  member  pledges  himself  or  herself  to  aid  the  rest,  lo  bear  a 
proportionate  share  of  the  burden  and  expense  of  the  Society,  at  least  to  the 
extent  of  the  annual  dues,  white  the  Sriciety  as  a  whole  promise!*  to  each  a 
share  of  the  benefits.  By  signing  the  roll,  a  member  assumes  an  obtigarion 
to  pay  his  dues  as  fully  as  if  he  signed  his  promissory  note  for  the  amounts 
as  they  become  due.  But  in  looking;  over  the  list  of  members  on  the  Treas- 
urer's books,  I  find  the  names  of  more  than  forty  mem'jcrs  who.  wiihin  nine 
or  ten  years  -mostly  since  1890 — have  been  marked,  "dropped  for  non-pay- 
ment of  dues."  Some  have  never  paid  any  dues,  and  none  arc  thus  marlccd 
who  are  not  two  years  or  more  in  arrears,  except  those  who  have  refused--not 
simply  neglected— to  pay  dues.  The  aggregate  of  dues  thus  lost  to  the  Society 
is  over  five  hundred  dollars.  This  does  not  include  tluwe  who  have  died  01 
moved  away  licEorc  they  were  "dropped."  And  all  these  "dropped"  might 
be  restored  on  paying  arrearages  The  list  includes  perhaps  a  score  of  occu- 
pHlioris,  professions,  etc.,  mci:hani(!S,  physicians,  tcai!hers,  profeHM>rs,  mer- 
chants literary  men,  lawyers,  and  even  judges,  and  some  more  or  les-i  promi- 
nent members  of  religious  societies,  'rhe  sums  arc  usually  so  small  that  it 
would  be  expensive  to  collect  them  by  suit.  S  me  nru  '*out!at*ed,"  and 
many  of  these  non*paying  membtrs  have  no  property  ;  while  olheri  are  well- 
t(^do.  Our  Treasurer  has  no  salary,  and  much  lime  would  be  reijuired  to 
collect,  of  those  who  are  collectable,  by  perustent  dunning.  I  simpiv  la\  the 
matter  beiorc  you. 

This  Society  is  the  owner  of  no  abiding  ]»Uce  nnd  is  not  even  able  to 
pay  rent  lor  a  room.  The  City  permits  us  to  hold  our  m.-jcijn;is  in  a  court 
room  and  the  County  allows  us  to  tcep  our  valuables  in  the  i^ourt  house  i  but 
in  each  case  wc  arc  tenants  by  suflTerancc  VVe  should  continually  keep  in 
view  our  need  of  a  permanent  home.  ^Ve  need  alt  the  money  equitably  due 
tjs,  and  if  possible  should  devise  some  means  to  colle~:t  dues  of  those  on  our 
rolls.  The  Treasurer's  report  shows  no  surplus  of  money  after  paying  for 
the  annual  publication.  But  there  arc  many  dufs  that  will  doubtless  yet 
be  voluntarily  paid. 

It  is  earnestly  ho{>cd  that  a  greiitcr  interest  may  be  awakened  among 
those  able  to  assist  us,  as  well  a.t  our  present  membership,  which  should 
be  continually  in<^reased ;  and  that  the  Society  may  early  be  placed  on  ■ 
solid  and  permanent  ba.sis. 


OriQin  of  itie  Historical  Society  ot  Soulliern  Gatltornta. 


(IV  HOAM  LliVERINO 


[ReaJ   Nnvemlitr   i,    1893.) 

Soon  atter  my  arrival  in  Los  Angcleii  in  ^fay,  18,5,  T  learned  there  was 
no  hiiloricul  society  in  the  Siste.  After  I  had  s\ict\l  several  months  in  and 
About  lx>s  Angeles^  and  made  the  nciiunintancc  of  many  of  the  leading  citl- 
cem,  from  whom  1  learned  much  oi  the  early  history  nf  California,  I  was 
thoroujihly  ■  on\Hnced  th.it  ihi^i  was  a  grand  field  for  historical  work  and  that 
stepn  should  he  Uiken  al  onrc  to  gather  up  and  preserve  the  unwritten  histci^ 
which  would  be  prolific  with  interest  to  those  who  should  conte  after  us.  I 
luggested  to  several  persons  the  propriety  of  the  tormalinn  nf  an  historical 
MKiety,  and  was  as  often  met  with  the  reply  that  the  cfTotl  would  t>c  Iruitless, 
as  people  would  not  take  sufficient  interest  to  accomplish  the  object.  I  could 
not  make  up  my  mind  to  abandon  the  enlerprise.  During  the  week  of  the 
county  fair  in  October,  iliBj,  I  resolved  to  make  a  determined  efTort,  by  can* 
vassing  the  city  for  volunti-ers  to  organixe  a  sxiety.  I  was  soun  ronvinced 
that  it  was  tnuch  easier  to  serure  volunteers  to  (|ucli  a  rebellion  than  to 
preserve  the  hiilory  o(  the  same.  When  ]  called  U[ion  one  of  the  wealthy 
cltizetis  of  the  city  and,  after  stating  my  business,  I  was  asked.  "I*  there  any 
money  in  ii?"  I  said  no.  The  reply  was,  "Well,  1  want  nothing  to  do  with 
things  thai  liiere  is  no  money  in."  1  was  disap]xjintcd  but  nut  discouraged- 
Believing  that  there  were  men  ol  larger  souls  and  more  liberal  minds,  1  con- 
tinued my  efTurts-  The  first  man  that  I  found  who  took  an  interest  in  the 
project  was  I'rof.  Marcus  Baker  of  the  National  MaL;netic  Ob&crvatury,  which 
■t  that  time  wan  iMcatcd  in  this  city,  near  Che  Suite  Nurmal  School. 

Prof.  Oaker  was  the  first  to  enroll  his  name  in  a  little  book  that  I  had 
>vtded  to  obtain  signatures  in.  With  many  kind  words  of  encouragement 
ind  wishes  for  my  success,  he  sent  me  on  my  way  rejoicing.  After  consid- 
erable titne  spent  in  canvassing,  I  secured  tne  following  additional  names: 
R.  H.  Hewitt,  J7  Biinninji  St,  I_.os  Anjjclcs;  Horace  Bell,  Los  Angeles;  (J, 
W.  Ingalls,  Vacaville,  Cal.;  Thomas  A.  Gary,  917  Downey  Ave.,  Los  An- 
geles; H.  Fuller,  Alosta,  Cal.;  J.  B.  Niles,  Los  Angeles;  Joseph  1>.  Lynch. 
I/is  Angeles;  Horatio  Rust,  South  Pasadena;  F.  M.  Palmer,  I.xm  Angeles; 
Ita  More,  I-X>s  Angeles  ;  John  Mansfield,  Los  Angeles  ;     twelve  names  in  all 


lo"  HISTORICAL   SOCIETY  OF  SOVTBERN  CALIFORNIA 


Having  secured  enough  signers  to  organize,  I  consulted  Mr.  Rust  in  regard 
to  ihe  lime  and  place  for  the  first  meeting.  The  N'urmal  School  building 
was  selected  as  the  place,  the  exact  date  of  the  time  set  for  the  meeting  I 
have  forgotten.  I  saw  Prof.  Ira  More  and  obtained  his  office,  in  the  Normal 
School  building,  for  the  meeting-  The  professor  said  he  would  have  It 
lighted  and  in  readines<i  for  us. 

On  the  evening  appointed,  I  repaired  to  the  professor's  office  at  about  7 
o'clock  only  to  find  it  as  dark  as  lost  hope.  My  spirits,  which  had  indicated 
a  point  far  above  zero,  now  suddenly  dropped  as  far  bctow,  and  I  seated  my- 
self upon  the  steps  in  front  of  the  building  and  began  whistling,  like  a  boy 
passing  through  a  graveyard  in  a  dark  night,  to  keep  up  his  spirits.  I  rcal- 
ired  that  I  was  a  lost  mourner  at  the  grave  of  my  hopes.  While  thus  con- 
templating  the  gloomy  prospect,  I  heard  a  racket  in  the  basement  of  the 
building,  which  revived  hope,  and  I  was  soon  tending  in  that  direction  where 
I  found  th*  janitor,  who  informed  me  that  he  knew  nothing  of  the  meeting 
but  would  light  up,  which  he  did  at  once.  Soon  after  Col.  Warner  came  in, 
a  few  minute*  later  H.  Rust  arrived,  which  were  all  that  I  now  remember. 
Before  adjourning  wc  concluded  to  hold  an  adjourned  meeting  a  few  er^ 
oings  later  in  the  council  chamber  In  Temple  block,  provided  the  room  could 
be  obtained.  Wc  resolved  ourselves  into  acommiutn:  of  the  wh'>Ic  to  make 
the  necessary  arrangements-  The  room  was  secured,  I  had  a  notice  of  the 
meeting  inserted  in  each  of  the  city  papers  and  also  personally  notilied  a 
number  of  persons,  tien.  iklansHeld  also  interested  himself  in  getting  an 
attendance.  On  the  evening  of  November  1,  18S3,  in  the  city  courtroom,  old 
Temple  block,  the  following  named  geniienien  met  for  the  purp.'se  o(  organ- 
king  a  historical  society  ;  Col.  J.  J.  Wainer,  H.  D.  Barrows,  N.  levering, 
Gen.  John  Mansfield,  Prof.  J.  M.  Guinn,  Maj.  C.  N  Wilsim,  Ex  Gov.  J.  G- 
Downey,  Prof.  Ira  More,  J.  B.  Niles,  A.  Kohler,  Don  Antonio  F.  Coronel, 
George  Hansen,  A.  J.  Bradfield,  Maj.  E.  W.  Jones  and  Prof.  Marcut  Baker. 
Col.  J.  J.  Warner  was  elected  president;  Maj.  C.  N.  Wilann,  secretary.  A 
committee  was  appointed  to  draft  a  constitution  and  by-laws,  and  from  that 
evening  dates  the  l)cginning  of  the  Historical  Society  of  Southern  California. 
Its  proceedings  eince  then  are  all  of  record. 


GflPT.   flUEXANDER   BELL   AND  THE  "BE.LL  BLOCK." 


DV  HEHRV   D.    BARROWS. 


[Read  Pcbnury  6,  and  March  6,  1S93  ] 

As  I  saw  in  December  oi  last  year,  (1892),  the  work  o(  demolishing  the 
historic  "Bell  Block"  on  the  old  cornei  of  Aliso  and  Los  Angeles  streets,  to 
make  room  for  the  foundations  of  a  new  brick  block  covering  the  former  site 
and  extending  forty  or  fifty  feet,  or  more,  westward  to  the  new  line  of  Lot 
A.igeles  street,  a  flood  of  reminiscences  came  over  me  of  persons,  events  and 
episodes  connected  with  that  locality,  in  the  olden  time. 

I  firsi  saw  that  historic  landmark,  (for  it  was  one  of  the  few  two-story 
adobe  buildings  in  this  then  nne-story  adobe  town),  in  1854;  though  it  was 
built  nine  or  ten  years  before.  My  old  friend  Elijah  Moulton,  who  is  still  a 
resident  of  this  cily,  tells  me  that  Capt.  Bell  was  building  the  block  when  he, 
Moulton,  arrived  here  in  the  year  1845. 

The  early  archives  in  (he  Recorder's  office  of  Los  Angeles  county,  show 
that  Don  Luis  Vignes,  the  very  earliest  pioneer  of  the  French  colony,  whom 
1  rcmeml'cr  well,  sold  a  lot  to  Capt.  Bell  in  1844,  "contiguous  to  the  Zanja 
(water-ditch)  and  fronting  the  house  of  Scnora  Tcodocia  Saiz,  which  extend- 
ed 95  varas  on  the  east,  105  on  the  west ;  Los  Angeles  street,  about  292  feet ; 
60  varas  on  the  north,  or  about  233  feet  on  Aliso  street,  and  88  varas  on  its 
souih  side,"  or  adjoining  Dona  Teoducia's  place,  which  was  where  th^ 
"White  House"  now  stands. 

The  deed,  which  is  written  in  large,  fair  liand,  in  the  Spanish  language 
(probably  hy  Don  Ygnacio  Coronet,  father  of  Hon,  A.  F.  Coronel),  is  ac- 
ItnowledKed  lieforc  "Manuel  Kequena,  Alcalde  I  *^  cons  lit  ucional:  Jucs  de  I  ® 
instancia,  y  prcsidentc  del  Yl.  *  Ayuntamiento  de  la  ciudad  de  Los  Angeles, 
etc.,  .Alril  I,  1844."  It  waswitnessed  by  Casildo  A^uilarand  Juan  Domingo; 
and  a  note  was  appended  that  the  instrument  was  written  on  common  paper 
for  lack  of  stamped   [>aper. 

Exactly  how  lun^^  a  time  was  consumed  in  building  the  Bell  Block,  or 
"Bell's  Row"  as  it  used  lo  be  called,  I  do  not  know.  The  two-story  portion 
of  the  building  only  extended  along  the  -Miso  street  front;  and  a  part  of  the 
Los  Angeles  street  front.  The  balance  of  the  latter  to  the  south  consisted  of 
a  one-story  row  of  stores,  which  were  occupied  by  small  dealers  for  many 
years. 

The  upper  story  on  the  corner  and  fronting  Aliso  street  was  long  the 
residence  of  Capt.  Bell,  and  also,  for  n  considerable  period,  of  Mr.  Francis 
Melius.  I  remember  very  well  attending  a  grand  ball  given  there  by  the 
Melluses,  I  think  in  1855  or  *56. 


ti      mSTORlCAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  CAUFORMA. 


Of  the  few  persons  whom  I  can  now  recall  a  being  present  then,  (I  was 
■  comparative  stranger  an<i  had  not  made  as  yet  many  acquaintances,)  I  dis- 
tinctly renieinber  r>on  Juan  Bindini,  ancestor  of  the  Bandiais  of  Southerti 
California  and  a  prominent  historical  character,  who  was  a  fine  dancer  and  a 
very  vivacious  and  distin|>iii«hii  pers'ma^^e.  Most  of  the  principal  famitie? 
of  the  I'ueblo  were  present. 

There  was  a  spacious  area  back  of  the  block  which  included  a  small  ftower 
jjai'dcn,  oraiigery,  etc.,  near  the  zanja. 

In  the  latter  pan  of  Capt.  Bell's  life,  he  sold  portions  of  the  south  enJ 
oi  his  lot  to,  I  thinlc,  Mr.  Heinsch,  and  perhaps  others. 

As  the  portion  of  the  Work  which  he  retained  came  to  need  repairs,  and 
as  the  march  of  improvement  seemed  to  demand  a  better  building,  he  w.-t4  in 
doubt  whether  or  not  he  would  tear  down  the  adobe  and  replace  it  with  a 
bricV  block.  But,  as  I  suppose,  his  available  means  would  not  justify  .so  ex- 
pensive an  undertaking,  (brick  blocks  in  Los  Angeles  cmt  more  then  than 
Ihey  do  now,)  he  finally  put  up  a  brick  facing  around  the  adobe  walls  of  his 
block  and  made  other  improvemenis  costing,  I  believe,  about  $lz,ooo  or 
$15,000. 

Of  the  tenants  who  occupied  the  corner  store  in  early  times  (this  wu 
then  a  central  and  very  prominent  corner.)  there  wjre  the  dry  goods  mer- 
chants, Lazard  &  Kremer,  (both  sijl!  livin^i  and  still  residents  of  Los  .\ngeles) 
(..atard  &  Wolfskill,  S.  Laxard  &  Co.,  Lazard  &  Eugene  Meyer  (the  Utter  now 
bcinjf  manager  of  the  Ijsnrton,  Paris  and  .\mcrican  Bank  of  San  Francisco ;) 
Kalisher  &  Wartenburg,  (both  deceased  :>  and  later,  for  a  number  of  years, 
this  comer  was  occupied  as  a  butcher  shop  by  the  Sentous  Bros. 

When  1  first  came  to  Los  Angeles,  I  remem'j<^r  very  well  that  one  of  the 
small  stores  of  the  one-story  "Row"  on  Los  Angeles  street,  some  distance 
south  ol  the  corner,  was  occupied  as  a  book  and  stationery  store  by  two 
Hellman  brothers,  one  of  whom  was  the  late  I.  M.  Hcltm.in,  who  afterwards 
had  a  large  dry  goods  store  in  the  "Arcadia  or  Stearns  BLick"  on  the  oppo- 
site side  of  Los  Angeles  street ;  and  who  later  built  Ihc  block  extending  from 
Main  to  l-Mi  Angeles  street,  now  occupied  by  the  Crysul  Palace  store;  the 
Schlessin^eri,  ail  if  (  mistake  not,  Louis  "Chino"'  Phillips,  now  of  SiNidra, 
used  to  do  business  in  this  Los  Angeles  street  "Bell  Row." 

The  wide  space  between  the  Bell  Block  on  the  east  and  the  Stearns  prop- 
erty on  the  west  side  of  l.os  Angeles  street,  and  the  CoroncI  Block  now  de- 
molished, bt-twcen  Sanchez  street  and  Negro  alley  on  the  north,  formed  quite 
a  large  public:  s<iuare  or  area,  which  was  the  scene  of  many  interesting  events 
and  episodes,  6rst  and  ta.st.  For  many  years  the  city  scales  were  located  on 
this  square  where  (he  farmers  and  teamsters  used  to  come  to  weigh  their  hay, 
grain,  brea,  (asphaltum),  etc 


CAFT.  ALEXAtfUhR  BELL  AND  THK  BHLL  BLOCK 


M 


Sheriff  Getman  was  shi>t  ai'l  killed  on  this  M|unre,  near  ihe  foot  of  Negro 
alley  ;  and  the  ChineMr  Hot  of  the  carl  .■  70*8  took  place  mostly  on  thi*  squatc. 

At  the  Belt  corner  soice  time  in  the  60's,  1  saw  a  shoottn^  affray  between 
Col.  E.  J.  C.  Kewen  and  a  man  by  the  name  of  Fred  Lrmberj},  well  known 
at  the  time  by  the  subriquet  of  the  "Klyin^  Dutchman." 

The  latter,  who  wjs  a  thoroughly  |ii;acejble  man,  thou};h  he  did  Dot 
fear  the  face  of  man  nr  devil,  was  a  Bon-in-la.?  of  olJ  man  Bors,  the  miller 
who  owixrd,  and  1  believe  built  the  mill  which  wa»  located  on  the  site  of  the 
distillery  east  of  the  river  on  Macy  street. 

Keen  iind  tlie  Flyinij  Dutchman  had  previously  had  some  Jifiiculty. 

At  t^is  time  they  met  un  the  sidewalk  on  Ihc  west  side  of  Los  Angeles 
street,  near  Commercial,  in  trout  tti  the  store  now  occupied  by  J.  B.  Cohn. 
'Iliey  apparently  had  some  words,  and  soon  came  tu  blows  ;  whereupon  the 
Dutchman,  who  was  a  rather  slightly  built  but  muscular  man,  prumptly 
knocked  ICewen  down.  Thr  laiter  jumped  up  and  made  for  his  sntagunist, 
who  again  knocked  him  hn>-^  ilu  rmnhnt  on  the  din  sidewalk,  (We  had  no 
cement  sidewalks  here  in  those  days.) 

[>emberg  then  went  aouut  his  businesis,  going  up  Commercial  street  and 
Kewcn  ramc  towards  our  store,  (next  to  Fov'k  harness  store)  where  he  met 
my  partner,  John  D.  Hicks,  and  ni)scll  and  Tom  J.  Wiggins  of  El  Monic 
The  latter  had  a  six-sh<jotcr  in  his  belt,  and  Kcwcn  begi^cd  VVtggin  to  let  him 
have  his  pistol,  for,  said  he  in  traj^ic  tones,  "He  struck  me!" 

Those  of  us  who  knew  both  parties  well,  and  who  saw  the  whole  trans- 
action, were  of  the  opinion  that  if  he  had  i^iven  no  provocation,  he  would 
not  have  bewi  "struck."  Hicks  asked  Kewen  to  go  back  to  the  hydrant,  in 
the  rear  of  the  store,  and  wa»h  off  the  blood  on  his  face,  which  he  did. 

He  then  tried  hard  to  borrow  Wijjgms'  pistol,  but  without  avail,  then. 
But  he  subsequently  obtained  a  pistol  from  somebody,  and,  later  in  the  day, 
as  Lemtierg  came  down  Commercial  street,  across  Los  Angeles  street,  and 
p  -ssed  alonR  by  the  "Bell  Row"  towards  Aliso,  Kewen,  who  it  appeared  had 
been  on  the  watch  for  him,  crossed  over  from  John  Jones'  store  (now  Harri- 
son S:  Dickson's)  to  the  Bell  corner,  to  head  him  off,  where  he  opened  fire 
on  the  Dutchmaii,  who  promptly  returned  the  fusillade.  There  was  a  big 
post  on  the  corner,  on  the  edge  of  the  sidewalk,  and  around  this  post  the  bat- 
tle ra|;«d. 

Bang,  bangi  shot   after  shot  was  Rred,  till  at  last  Lemberg  fell,  having 

received  a  ball  in  the  groin,  I  believe. 

As  he  fell,  I  remember  Hicks  ejaculated  with  iotensc  feeling,  "Ohl  that 
is  too  bad!  too  bad!"  And  we  all  felt  that  it  was  a  sad  commentary  on  our 
civilization  that  a  citizen  should  be  driven  into  a  light,  and  then  shot  down 
(and,  as  we  then  sup|)Osed,  killed)  in  that  way. 


M    HiSTOHWAL  SOCIETY  OF  HOVTHHItS  CAIIFORMA. 

The  wounded  mm  was  taken  to  the  east  end  of  Bell  Block  oii  Aliso 
Mffct,  or  to  the  next  buUdini^  where  I  believe  he  and  his  umily  liveij,  where, 
alter  Mime  [nui:ths,  in  mid-suminer,  htx  wound  finally  healed.  1  recollect 
iHrrirg  Kewm  cninc  in  t>'Wn  fiuin  San  Oabiiel  one  day  iwt  lon^;  after,  or  be- 
Ujre  Ixmlvr,;  had  entirely  recovered,  in  his  bu^gy  ;  and  I  noticed  that  he 
had  a  double-barreled  shot-|^n  by  his  side ;  and  he  also  had  a  man  in  the 
but;i,'y  wit'n  him.      But  Lifmlierg  did  nut  disturb  htm  then  or  ai'teriords 

The  Gernun  and  other  lYiends  U  l^mt>erg  coniributed  funds  to  aid  him 
to  go  to  Arizooa  or  Sonor»,  where  he  had  same  luines  which  he  proposed  to 
work. 

On  the  W4y,  and  on  the  other  side  of  the  Colonda  river,  1  tielievc,  he 
was  uaylaid  and  killed  by  highwajnien  or  Indians. 

Kcwrn,  1  think,  was  alterwards  fined  lightly  by  the  coun,  and  thus  the 
tStir  ended. 

CAPTAIN  AKEXANUER  BKLL 

Haring  thus  given  ao  ace  mnt  o.  the  Bell  Block,  h  ouy  be  of  iiuerest  to 
Mil,  ill  ihe»<ame  connection,  something  About  Capt.  Bell  himself,  and  inci- 
deflimlh'  o;  nthent  who  r^idetl,  or  did  bunness,  in  the  Block,  or  otherwise 
were  intimatelf  connected  with  him. 

Wr.  Bell  wa^  a  narirt-  ai  Washington  co«tnty.  Penn.,  wher*  he  was  horn 
J»niur^'  9,  i£oi.  the  sime  ye«r  in  wliich  Et-Gov.  Pio  Pico  was  bom,  who  is 
still  I) ring. 

In  1S13.  whf^n  21  yein  of  age^  Mr.  Bell  went  to  Mexico  where  hj  en* 
giged  in  trade  atK>ui  nineteen  years,  or  till  1841,  when  became  nVi  Gtuy 
mas  and  Muaibn  to  San  Pedro  and  to  Los  Angdes,  it  which  latter  place  he 
resided  till  his  death,  July  24,  18}  i. 

In  1844  he  inarried  Dofla  Xieres  Guirado.  Doo  Mantiel  Requena  and 
DO0  Santia^  Johnson,  each  married  uMers  ot  Mrs.  Bdl ;  aitd  Don  Raiaet 
Goindo,  father  of  Ex-Gor.  Dovmejr^  first  wife,  was  a  brother  of  these  three 
aisten.  All  of  these  persons  are  now  deceased.  I  ktkew  erery  odc  of  ihaSi 
lone  of  tlbem  quite  inttmate^y,  except  Mr.  Johnson. 

Mr.  and  Mra.  Bd1  were  my  *'Compadres,*  thai  n  they  were  "padrtnooT 
atmj  Meat  child,  and  tbegefaie  wnaiacd  towards  me  that  aceedio^  dcv 
aad  plBMaat  rdaiioa  of  **CompBdre*  and  *CocBadre,*  so  comBon  in  all 
Spanish  caootries,  hut  which  is  aliDOft  vi^Dowa  amonc  Aofjo-Saxoas  or 
AaglfrAiMncaM.  and  (or  which,  I  be]ie«<e,  there  is  oo  eqaivateM  term  i* 
the  Ei^fah  hagMT 

Tboae  terma  of  *^enmadTe^  aod  "compwdre,*  and  of  **padrit>c^*  fGod- 
IhAef^  and  "madrina."  (God-taothcr,!  as  ««ti  as  their  cotidative  ceims, 
••Al^adBL*  <God«m,)  md  -Ah^ada,*  tGod-dM«httrJ  >»  «nas  of  en- 
dcameitt    wUdk    bind     milttoos  of  fiaaiiBea  logctiher    an  over  the  world. 


CAPT.  ALEXASDF.R  BEU.   ASH  TIfK  HELL  BLOCK.       15 


where     the    Castitian     language  is  spoken  and    the  Catholic  religion  pre. 
vails. 

The  standint;  as  "pddrinus"  or  God-})arenu  at  the  baptism  of  a 
chilli,  theoretically  supposes  that  the  Gud-paieius  (as  in  the  administra- 
tion of  the  same  symltollic  rite  in  the  Episcopal  church,)  vill  look 
ai'ier  the  religious  training  of  the  child,  in  case  of  the  death  or  nct^lect 
ot  its  natural  parents. 

But  whether  this  theory  is  carried  out  from  the  religious  stanopolnt 
or  not,  the  tciider  reiali.ins  ol  "padrinos"  and  "ahijadus,"  i.  e.  between 
God-parents  and  God-children,  and  the  ties, — only  second  in  nearness  and 
eventually  in  genuine  afTecdon,  to  those  of  blood-relationship — of  "Cum- 
padres"  between  the  rejl  parents  and  the  God-parenis,  are  firmly  and  per- 
manently established,  only  to  be  severed  by  the  death  ot  one  or  other  01  the 
parties. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bell  had  no  children  of  their  own;  but  they  stood  as 
sponsors  for  the  children  of  a  ((reat  many  other  people,  wheieby  they  be- 
came the  "compadrcs"  of  the  latter,  and  the  affectionate  "padnnos,"  or  "fos- 
ter-parents" as  ii  ncre,  of  the  lormcr. 

Whenever  the  parents  and  God-parents  met,  the  salutations   would   be, 
"compadre"  or  "comadre,"  as  the  case  might  be  ;    and  the  greeting   of   God 
parents  and  (iod-children  would  be,  "[fadrino"  or  "nudrina,"  and    "ahijado' 
or  "ahijada." 

These  relationships  are  beauti  tut  and  tender,  and  add  a  wonderful  charm 
to  life  in  S[>anish-Catholic  communities  to  which  English-speaking  com- 
munities, as  8  rule,  are  almost  total  strangers. 

In  .Mexican  times  Mr.  Bell  had  a  store  on  Main  street,  where  the  Si. 
Charles  hotel  now  stands,  the  building  then  being  a  one-«tory  adobe. 

When  I  came  here  in  1854,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bell  lived  in  a  two-story 
frame  house  on  the  east  side  ot  Main  slreet,  north  of  Arcadia,  which  xe  niter- 
wards  sold  to  Sei^noret.  Whilst  they  lived  on  Main  street,  Mr.  Francis 
Melius  resided  in  the  Bell  Block,  which,  meanwhile,  and  for  a  number  of 
years,  was  known  as  the  "Melius  Block,"  or  "Melius  Row."  I  believe  Mr. 
Melius  bought  the  block  of  CapL  Bell  and  then  sold  it  back  to  him  a^aio. 

At  the  lim**  of  the  change  of  government,  Mr.  Bell  became  captain  o 
an  American  military  company  ;  and  he  took  part  in  the  engagement  with 
Cftrrillo  and  Flores,  near  the  Lugo  ranch.  Afterwards  he  went  with  his  com- 
pany to  San  Dieg  ..  A  portion  of  his  men  returning  with  Capt.  EJensley's 
command,  took  part  in  the  affairs  of  "Paso  de  Bartolo"  and  "L.i  Mesa." 
Some  of  these  men  were  :  Victor  Prudhora,  H.  C.  Cardwell,  Jo»e  Mascarel, 
John  Behn,  Daniel  Sexton  and  John  Reed.     All   of  these  were  citizens  ot 


i6    HISTORICAL    SOCIETV  OF  SOirrffKRX  CAUFOttSlA 


Ijss  Anj^lca  city  or  county,   and  all  of  ihcra  1  kaew.     All    «e   devl    evtpf 
Mr.  Mascarel,  and  poi>»iblj-  Mt.  Sexton,  who,  the  last    1  knew  of   hits,    lived 
in  San  Bernardino  county. 

When  Fri>mont  was  here  the  first  titne,  he  made  his  Hesdqtufters  at 
Bell's  Block  ;  and  while  th^ic  lie  gave  a  grand  hall  which  was  largely  at- 
tended. 

Capt.  Bell  was  an  ardent  reptiblican,  and  was  one  ot  the  low  Fr*<inoni 
presidential  electors  for  Catiiornia,  m  tSi6. 

Capt.  Bell  was  the  owner  of  "I^  i'rorilencia"  ranrho,  on  a  pnrtion  of 
which  the  town  of  Burbank  is  located.  This  rancho  joined  the  ex  Mission 
rancho  oi"  San  Fernando  ;  but  the  line  dividing  ihc  two,  In  the  Vtexiran  title 
pajiers,  was  not  very  clearly  defined.  The  Unired  Sutes  court  appointed  two 
comminioneri,  with  authority,  in  case  they  coald  not  agree,  to  idect  a  third 
commissioner,  to  run  this  line.  The  tivo  commissioners  ap|>o)nied  hy  the 
court  were  Col.  }.  J.  Warner  and  H.  D.  Barrows.  Capt.  Bell  rrpr«cnic<1 
the  "Providencii,"  and  Gen.  Andres  Pico,  halt-owner,  (with  Eulotiio  tie  Celis 
ot  Spain)  of  the  ex-Mission  rancho  oi"  120,000  acres,  n presented  the  latter. 

We  met  many  times  ,  went  onto  the  sround  when  necessary  ;  but  it 
seemed  next  to  impossible  tx>  agree  on  any  division  line  which  would  conform 
to  the  tertnsof  the  grant,  and  which,  at  the  same  time,  would  at  all  saiisly 
the  claimants.  The  tiuestion  ol  water  was  the  chief  point  on  which  they 
would  not  agree. 

Whilst  the  commissioners  might  have  decided  the  matter  arbitrarily,  they 
preferred  to  exhaust  every  means  possible,  to  secure  the  a"(ieni  of  hnth 
|.artic5  in  interest,  10  their  decision,  before  they  made  the  same  final.  Each 
mreting  would  end  in  a  hoi  discussion  between  the  two  daimants,  always 
courteous  hut  without  practical  results. 

At  Inst,  Matthew  Keller  was  chosen  as  the  third  commissioner,  and 
after  numerous  mrelinKs,  a  dividing  line  reasonably  saii!«lact*>ry  to  the  repte- 
wntatives  of  the  two  big  ranchos,  was  agreed  upon,  and  was  embodied  in  a 
tvport  to  the  Court,  which  finally  approved  the  same  ;  and  1  suppose,  it  is  the 
OB«  which  is  recognised  as  the  boundary  line  1 1  the  present  day. 

Ca)rt  B9II,  in  liter  years,  sold  the  P^>videncia  rancho  to  Dr.  David 
BuiUank  of  this  city,  who,  I  Mieve,  still  retains  an  interest  in  it ;  though  in 
the  boom,  the  ram-hn,  or  a  iHtrticm  ot  it,  was  sold  to  a  syndicate,  and  the 
town  of  Huibank  was  laid  out,  on  the  line  of  the  Southern  Pacific  railway. 

The  contiguouH  rancho*  wor<',  vin  Ihc  we<t,  the   ex- Mission    rancho  ;  00 
the  north,  public  UnJt]   on  the  past,  San  KaiAcI   a.ii   Los   Felis  raochos; 
and  on  the  luttih  the  io|)  ol  th«  ran|(c  o(  hills  east  01  Cahuenga  Pass. 
Tha  rancho  li  a  valuaUli  on«k 


CAPT.  ALEXANDER  BELL  AND  THE  HELL  BLOCK.       17 

Capt  Bell,  my  "Cf>m[>adrc,'*  ramc  10  mc,  iiomelimc  in  the  sixties,  anil 
asked  if  I  would  serv:  as  one  ot  ihc  adtnmistraiors  01  his  estate  tn  case  he 
were  to  namt;  me  as  such  in  his  will. 

As  1  could  give  no  very  valid  reason  wSy  I  coulj  not  serve,  if  he  realty 
d"sired  ii,  he  had  his  will  drawn  u[>  accofdinLjIy,  and  brought  it  to  me  10  be 
deposited  in  our  safe,  as  there  were  no  banks  <\t  tiare-deposit  vaults  \n  iht'^e 
days.  Two  or  three  times,  ns  he  fi' 'Id  real  estate,  (the  Miuthein  |Kirtio'i  of 
his  l)Iock,  or  his  house  on  Main  sireer,  or  the  Providencia  rancho,)  he  came 
to  me  to  get  his  will,  to  tnake  the  necessary  chanj^es  requirrd  by  such  real 
esute  &ale.s. 

He  made  these  se*"etal  wills,  and  what  their  provisons  were,  of  rourse, 
I  never  knew,  as  those  were  m:Uters  that  did  not  interest  me-  His  final  will, 
made  juKt  before  his  death  in  18;  t,  by  Mt'.  Glassell,  I  think,  appointed  John 
G.  Downey,  Solomon  Ijizard  and  myself,  as  execuiors  and  trustees  01  i!te 
OHlair  (during  the  lifetime  of  Mr^.  BWl  ;  giving  one  un<1lvided  half  of  th? 
properly  10  his  grand-nephew,  Jas.  H.  Bell,  the  other  half  going  by  operation 
of  taw,  to  his  wife. 

The  three  executors  of  tSc  will,  after  the  death  of  Mr,  Belt,  (jualified  arri 
served  about  a  year,  when  Gov.  Downey  and  Mr.  lizard  resigndi.  I  Hrved 
about  t\\r\c  year*  Mr<.  Bell  died  a  few  years  a^jo  Mr-;  TrLirEcll,  formerly 
the  wile  o!  Henr)'  iVfcUus,  and  her  niece,  took  care  of  Mrs.  Bell  during  the 
latter  years  of  her  life. 

•  t  •  •  *  ft 

In  jotting  down  these  desuttory  reminiscences  of  my  old  "Compadre," 
Capt  Bell,  and  his  "Block  ;"  memories  of  many  other  persons  and  scenes  and 
epi:wde!i  of  the  "olden  times"  have  been  awnkened  ;  but  1  will  t;l<i»e  with  n 
brief  mention,  {condensed  partly  from  Bancr<'rt*s  Pioneer  Register,}  of  the 
two  Metluses,  who  came  here  as  boys  or  younjj  men,  frcm  Boston  ;  both  of 
whura  ailerwards  Liecame  prominent  and  respected  citJEens  ol  this  place; 
Henry  Melius  having  been  elected  mayor  ol  this  city  in  1&60  ;  and  his 
brother,  Francis,  having  been  tor  years  a  leading  merchant. 

Henry  Melius  came  to  this  coast  in  1S35,  with  iJana  Iwforc  the  mast, 
on  the  Pii'jnm.  In  the  census  of  the  Pueblo,  taken  in  1836,  hts  name  was 
included  and  his  age  give  as  26  years.  In  1^378  he  visited  the  United 
States,  but  returned  in  1839,  and  made  his  home  chiefly  in  1-os  Angeles. 

In  1845  Henry  Melius  formed  a  i)artncrship  with  Capt.  D.  M.  Howard, 
and  this  iirm  became  the  most  prominent  firm  in  San  Francisco,  buying  the 
Hudson  Bay  Cu's  property  theie  in  1 846,  and  building  the  first  brick  ^torc  in 
tMwn,  and  established  bran':hes  at  San  jose,  Los  Angeles  and  Sacramento- 
He  became  the  owner  of  many  town  tots  and  a  very  rich  man. 


i8    HISTORICAL   SOCIETY  OF  80VTHERS  CAUFORi\SA. 


In  1847  he  married  Aniu^  daughter  of  jatncs   (Santiago)  Johnson   o' 
Los  Angvlcs,  and  in  1848  he  made  a  visit  to  ihe  Kast ;    anJ  on  his  return  he 
bad  a  stroke  of   apoplc:ty,  from  the  effects  of  which  he  never  cntiiely  recor 
ered. 

In  1850  he  sold  his  interest  to  the  fimi  nf  Howard  &  Melius,  and  went 
East.  Subsequently  he  lost  a  portion  of  his  wealth  in  unfortunate  business 
enterprises. 

In  1859  he  returned  and  settled  in  I.OS  Angeles.  I  rem'imher  he  lived 
with  his  family  in  the  west  portion  of  the  second  nory  of  the  Temple  Block, 
which  old  Johnny  Temple  had  just  built. 

Henry  Melius  was  elei--led  Mayor  of  t^s  Angeles  in  May  uf  i860,  but  died 
Id  office  in  December  of  the  same  year.  He  left  a  widow  and  several 
children.     Mrs.  Melius  afterward  married  J.  B.  Trudell. 

"Henry  Melius,"  as  Bancroft  savs,  "was  a  man  fif  remarkable  business 
ability,  of  good  character  and  of  courteous  and  pleasing  manners." 

Francis  Melius  was  a  native  of  Boston,  and  he  came  to  this  part  of  the 
world  on  the  Calij'nmia,  in  1S39,  when  he  was  filieen  years  of  age,  as  a  clerk 
of  A.  B.  Thompson  of  Santa  Barbara.  At  a  recent  meeting  of  this  society 
Mr.  J.  Guinn  read  an  interesting  account  of  Frank  Menus'  first  visit  to  Los 
Angeles,  derived  from  his  own  diar)-,  kept  for  a  number  of  years  alter  he  left 
Boston.  From  Januar)',  [849,  he  was  a  partner  with  his  brother,  in  ihe 
firm  of  W.  r>.  M.  Howard  &  Co.,  of  San  Francisco;  and  from  1850  to 
•56,  with  David  W.  Alexander,  he  had  charge  of  a  branch  of  the  business 
at  Los  Angeles,  where  he  thercilier  became  a  permanent  resident. 

In  1852-3  he  was  County  Treasurer  ;  in  1854  he  was  a  member  of  the 
City  Council  ;  and  in  1855  he  represented  the  County  in  the  Legislature. 

He  died  in  1863,  leaving  a  widow,  DoQa  AdelaJda,  (daughter  of  San- 
tiago Johnson,)  and  seven  children.  Dofla  .Adelaida,  who  is  still  a  resident 
of  (his  city,  after  the  death  of  her  first  husband,  married  O.  W.  Alexander, 
who  died  not  many  years  ^gp  at  Wilmington. 

There  are  now  many  descendants  of  the  two  Melius  brothers  residing  in 
Los  Angelei  county. 


A     HISTORY     OF     UNIVERSITY     TOWN. 


ItV   MRS.    M.    BUKTON   WILLIAMSON. 


plead  Oct.  7,  1895.] 

As  the  question  of  annexing  Ihe  suburban  towns  of  Vernon,  Rosedale* 
Pico  Heights  and  University  to  the  city  of  Los  Angeles,  has  this  month  been 
[nit  to  ballot,  a  brief  history  of  the  little  town  of  University  may  be  of  inter- 
est. Especially  as  the  annals  of  our  Historical  Society  do  not  contain  k 
record  of  the  inceiittun  and  growth  of  this  thriving  little  town. 

As  there  is  some  confusion  in  the  minds  of  many  regarding  what  con- 
stitutes the  town  of  Universiiy,  some  thinking  the  whole  University  precinct 
bdoDgs  to  ihe  town,  .1  short  explanation  may  be  in  order.  "Univeiuty 
Tract,"  "University  School  District,"  and  "University  Voting  Precinct"  are 
not  one  and  the  same  in  the  amount  of  territory.  University  town  being  the 
smallest  in  size.  University  School  Districl  includes  a  larger  boundary  and 
University  Frecinct  covers  an  area  of  land  about  two  and  a  halt  miles  wide 
to  about  three  miles  lung.  It  begins  at  the  city  limits  and  extends  to  what  is 
called  "Baldwin's  Ranch,"  west  of  Western  Ave.,  on  the  west,  and  on  the 
north  begins  at  Adams  street  and,  including  the  Harper  tract,  extends  to 
Vernon  Ave.,  on  the  south.  These  are  all  situated  in  "Ballona  township." 
There  are  two  Justices  of  the  I'eace  in  Ballona  township,  one  of  whom  has 
an  oflice  in  University  town. 

"University,"  received  its  name  from  the  fact  that  at  this  place  the  col- 
lege known  as  the  "University  of  Southern  California,"  is  situated.  The 
town  at  first  was  called  "University  Place.  As  the  town  owes  its  beginning 
and  name  to  the  college,  a  brief  reference  to  (he  origin  of  the  school  may  be 
wonhy  ot  record. 

Before  any  college  or  school  is  erected  it  mast  first  be  conceived 
of  and  plans  matured  for  its  future.  The  question  naturally  arises  who  con- 
ceived the  idea  of  planting  a  college  at  this  point? 

A  history  of  its  inception  was  given  in  an  address  delivered  before  the 
annual  council  of  the  University,  June  22,  1886,  by  its  President,  Hon.  R. 
M.  Widney.  In  this  address  which  was  afterwards  published  in  the  "Min- 
utes of  the  First  Session  of  the  Annual  Council,"  Judge  Widney  says  :  "The 
University  in  its  origin  was  wholly    disconnected    from   all  other  educational 


20    HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  CALIFORXIA. 


schemrs  The  plan  u{H)n  which  it  is  organised  has  been  maturing  since 
1868.  The  Hon.  Don.  Alwl  Stearns  had  with  the  writer  (R.  M.  Widney), 
nearly  maiured  a  plan  to  put  Laguna  Rancho,  embracing  some  1 1,000  acres 
adj  ining  Iajs  Angeles  t-iiy,  into  a  butlUing  and  end^wtnent  lund  for  a  Uni- 
vets  ty.  Ju3(  before  he  left  Ixn  Angeles  for  San  Krancisro  he  came  to  my 
office  and  said  that  u|>on  his  return  tre  would  proceed  and  see  if  it  could  be 
put  into  a  satisfactory  and  aafe  educational  work.  While  in  San  Francisco 
sickness  came  up-.n  him  and  death  ImoIi  away  a  grand  and  powerful  man, 
and  the  educational  plan  remained  in  abeyance  until  the  Uuiversity  wai 
or^ganited." 

This  was  in  t86S.  and  about  eleven  years  afterwards,  in  1879.  Judge 
Widney  and  a  number  of  shrewd  business  men,  members  of  the  Methodist 
Episcojwl  Church,  held  meetings  with  a  view  to  building  a  !^lelhodist  Col- 
lege or  Unirefsiiy  in  or  twar  l.os  Angeles  ciiy.  They  had  faith  that  South- 
ern Caliioinifl  was  on  the  '^ve  of  a  great  rise  in  real  estate."  They  consid. 
eied  that  the  btCiition  oi  an  institution  ol  learning  upon  any  tract  of  land 
would  more  than  double  in  value  and  iherelore  the  o^cnei  could,  for  business 
reasons,  aTord  to  donate  at  least  one  half. 

Various  offers  were  made  by  proptrty  owners  in  East  Los  Angeles, 
Boyte  Heights,  Temple  Street  and  West  Los  .\ngcles.  A  majority  of  the 
trustees  of  the  University  were  in  favor  of  West  I-os  Angeles,  as  the  town 
Nte  of  University  was  c^led.  In  July  1879,  308  lots  in  Wc»t  Los  Angeles 
were  deeded  in  tru»t  to  the  Trustees  for  an  endowment  fund  for  the  Metho- 
dist Collef;e.  The  present  deed  of  trust  *1'or  the  University  school,"  w»s,  on 
July  J9,  1 879,  executed  by  Ex-Governor  J.  G.  Downey,  O.  W.  Childs  and 
I.  W.  Hellman  to  A-  M.  H.-ugh,  J.  V.  Widney,  E.  F-  Speoce.  M.  M. 
Bovard,  G  D.  Coinptun  and  K.  M.  Widney.  In  addition  to  rhese  tots  about 
40  acres  of  land  was  also  donated  by  adjacent  owners  of  land." 

In  1K80  it  was  decided  to  sell  30  of  these  lots  for  $100  each.  "The 
niarkei  ralue  of  these  lots  was  about  $50,  each,"  but  according  to  Judge 
Widney,  "frieiMis  purchased  the  lots  for  $joo  e*ch.''  The  money  that 
accrued  irom  the  sale  of  these  lots  was  used  in  the  erection  of  a  frame  build- 
ing. Thi»  building  is  now  the  Music  Hall  of  the  College.  Immediately 
afterward  m  lots  were  offered  for  ule  at  $aoo  each,  payable  $30  in  casb, 
bataoce  in  five  yearly  payments,  with  interest  at  the  rate  of  ten  per  ceat  pa 
feu. 

Of  the  first  building  of  the  University  on  the  campus  it  is  recorded  that, 
"the  unfinished  building  in  the  midst  of  an  unoccupied,  uncultivated  plain 
was  a  lonely  loolun^  object  to  those  who  only  saw  the  ptesenL"  This  was  in 
1880.  Oite  goud  Methodist  brother  told  me  how  be  was  lost  and  wandered 
around  the  desolate  region  one  night,  being  unable  in   the  darkness  to  guide 


A  HiSTORY  OF  INIVBUStTY TOWN. 


it 


hor»e  in  the  proper  direclion.     For  here  the  wild  raustard   grew  for  miles 
with  an  Jlnusl  uninterrupted  growth,  a  veritable  thicket. 

In  the  Autumn  of  1886  ihe  present  lour  story  brick  building  of  the  Uni- 
versity  was  finished.  It  was  situated  on  Wesley  Ave.,  between  34th  and  36th 
streets.  At  thai  time  the  Uttlc  collej^e  town  called  "University  Place"  began 
to  lo  41  quite  like  a  little  village,  situated  as  it  was,  about  lour  miles  south  of 
the  business  pan  of  Los  Angeles,  and  not  easily  nccessible.  many  strangers 
built  homes  in  the  lown  in  order  to  send  their  children  to  college.  When 
the  brick  building  was  erected  it  was  during  the  days  of  the  "boota  "  and 
there  was  also  buill  a  tieat  little  M.  t^  Church  one  block  south  of  the  col- 
lege. I'hk:  town  had  become  a  pose  uHvie  town  in  1883  under  the  name  of 
"Univ.  rsity  Place."  A  horse  car  lino  running  along  on  rt'etlcy  avenue  made 
trtpi  to  the  city  every  ten  minutes  running  out    as    far  as   Agricuitur^l  Park, 

about  on:  ha  t'  mile  soJth  of  thee  Ihge.  \i  the  Park  the  County  Fairs  were 
held,  as  well  as  unnumbered  horse  race*  that  were  considered  by  the  inhabi- 
tants, the  only  drawback  to  the  collcj^e  town. 

In  the  course  of  time  University  was  extended,  LaOow  School  District 
was  divided  and  one  part  was  called  "University  School  District."  Thi» 
district  built  a  i^ood  two-story  frame  building  just  west  of  University  tract. 

During  the  boom  lots  bad  "gone  up"  in  value-  For  a  good  lot  near  the 
Mihool  we  were  asked  ftlteen  hundred  dollars,  when  we  moved  to  University. 

Then  came  the  collapse  of  the  hoom  when  realty  depiecialed,  and,  today,, 
the  figures  of  the  real  estate  frenzy  have  not  been  reached  in  University,  al* 
though  lots  are  rapidly  rising  in  value^  The  building  of  the  Grand  Avenue 
car  line  three  quarters  of  a  mile  from  University,  on  Jefferson  street,  gave- 
some  impetus  to  tne  town,  but  the  buildint;  of  the  electric  car  line  with  its- 
closed  car  service  connecting  University  with  the  heart  of  the  ciiy  (Second 
and  Spring  sueets)  in  twenty-five  minutes,  instead  of  forty  minutes  on  the- 
horse  car  line,  was  ot  ihe  greatest  benefit.  It  was  at  this  time  that  all  the 
streets  ruuning  east  and  west  were  numbered  to  correspond  with  the  numbers- 
of  L-is  Angeles  streets,  those  in  University  continuing  the  numbers  beyond 
those  of  the  cit  k .  When  the  town  was  laid  out  in  streets  they  had  been' 
named  in  hon>T  oi  Methodist  Bishops.  For  the  most  pari  the  community  jfr 
composed  of  Methodists,  although  on  account  of  the  college  privileges  mem- 
bers of  other  denominations  have  built  homes  in  it.  There  is  also  a  f^rowing 
number  o(  non-church  goers  dwelling  in  the  village:  Each  year  the  town 
grows  mo*e  varied  in  its  inhabitants,  but  the  morality  of  the  town  has  never 
been  questioned.  Like  most  University  towns  the  community  is  above  the 
iveragein  its  intellectual  activities. 

Heretofore  University  town  has  depended  for  water  upon  numerous  wells 
pumped  by  windmills,  but  now  the  Pico  Heights  Water  company  has  carried 
its  pipes  out  to  University.     Fires  are  almost  unheard  of,  and  the  question 


32    mSTORICAl  SOCIETY  OF  SOVTHERN  CALIFOJLMA. 

of  fires  in  connection  with  ihc  water  supiily,  causes  no  uneasiness. 

There  arc  several  good  business  houses  in  the  town  and  new  ones  build- 
ing ;  an  enumeration  or  the  stores  in  University  totrn  shovrs  a  preponderance 
of  some  lines  of  trade  with  a  scarcity  ot'  other  lines  of  hu^ness  that  would  be 
iound  in  it  but  for  its  contiguity  to  the  ctty  of  Los  Angeles.  There  are 
five  groceries,  combining  crockery  and  hardware  departments  in  most  of 
them,  two  bu:chcr  shops,  one  bakery,  two  drug  stores,  one  dry  goods  and 
general  merchandise,  shoe  store,  ladies  furnishing,  book  and  news  stand,  two 
barber  shops,  one  shoemaker's  shop;  one  tailor  shop,  millinery,  two  delicaCy 
shops,  a  posti  ifficc,  three  real  estate  and  insurance  otlices,  a  justice's  office  with 
a  constiblc,  and,  a  livery  stable  juHt  outside  University  tract.  There  is  one 
block  ot  stores  with  rooms  f-."r  lodges  above  Ihc  stores.  There  are  six  doc- 
tors including  three  surt^eoQS  and  a  dentist,  not  a  block  from  the  town  line. 
In  the  southern  pari  of  the  town  at  what  is  often  called  "Park  Station"  on 
Santa  Monica,  avenue,  is  the  Southern  Pacific  depot  with  telegraph  office, 
Wells,  Fargo  &  Co's  express  o<Sce,  grain  waichouse,  lumber  yard,  and  a  hall 
used  for  public  purposes,  also  a  grain  mill  and  a  planing  mill.  These  are 
not  far  from  Agricultural  Park,  which  contains  a  fine  race  track.  The  Re* 
dondo  depot  is  about  three  fourths  of  a  mile  from  the  college  buildings. 

The  University  Courier  is  published  in  the  interests  of  the  school  with 
a  local  column  for  the  community,  and  a  University  printing  office  for  job 
work  is  now  a  feature  of  the  town. 

The  University  Public  School  is  a  large  two-story  building  that  contains 
six  rooms,  now  full  of  pupils.     There  arc  six  teachers  in  this  school. 

The  Uni\-ersity  school  has  a  college  academy  and  music  school  all  on 
the  college  campus,  with  a  dnrmatory  and  buardirt};  schixjl  for  young  ladies. 
The  only  church  that  is  situated  in  the  town  of  University  is  the  Methodist, 
but  a  new  church  has  been  built  two  blocks  north  of  the  town  site,  close  to 
the  Harper  tract,  it  is  a  Baptist  church. 

The  number  of  physicians  living  i&  University  may  rause  some  surprise 
until  the  fact  is  known  that  these  physicians  do  noC  dejicnd  upon  the  town 
patronage  as  there  is  a  large  area  of  country  around  the  town.  The  same 
may  be  said  regarding  the  presence  of  two  drug  stores  in  so  small  a  place. 


HEMORIAL  SKETCH  OF  COL.  J.J.  WARNER. 


BV   I).    D.    &AKR0W5. 


[Read  Mfty  6,  1895.] 

Since  the  last  meeting  or  our  Soctet)-.  one  of  its  founders  and  its  first 
president,  and  also  one  of  the  American  founder?  of  this  comin;>nireahh,  has 
passed  away,  ti  is  fitting  that  the  Society  should  preserve  in  its  archives 
some  record  of  his  life  and  work. 

The   dnta   on    which    the    following  brief  sketch    is  ba<ted,  arc  derived 
mainly,  6rst,  from  x  pamphlet  of  some  fifty  pages,  printed  in  1882,  (a  copy  of 
which  accompanies  this  iketch^  entitled,    "The  Warner  Family  in  America^ 
second,  from  a  valuable    manuscript,  unfininishcd,    "Reminiscence  of   Rarly 
Californi.-),  from  1831  to  1846,  by  J.  J.  Warner  of  Los  Angeles,"  {a    copy  of 
which  is  promised  to  our  Society  by  his  daughter);    third,  from   a  short   bio- 
graphical sketch  in  "The  Golden  Era"  for  October,  1890;"  fourth,  from  Bati- 
cfoA's  Honeer  Register,  vol.  v.  pp  767-8,  and  fifth,  from  the  personal  recol- 
lections of  the  writer  hereof,  whose  acquaintance  with  Coi  Warner  ottcnded 
over  a  period  of  forty  years. 

Jonathan  Trumbull  Warner,  (or  Juin  JosA  Warner,  his  middle  name 
being  changed  lo  Josft  as  Trumbull  w-is  not  easily  pronounced  in  Spanish — 
and  it  had  no  equivalent  in  that  hm^ua^e)  wai  born  November  so,  1S07,  tn 
Lyme,  Conn.  Hi^  father  was  Selden  Warner,  a  graduate  of  Yale  college  in 
17821  and  several  limes  a  member  of  the  Connecticut  Legislature;  and  his 
mother  was    Dorothy    Selden,    daug'iter  of    Col.  Simuel  Selden. 

The  first  American  ancestor  of  the  W«iier  family  of  Connecticut  was 
Andrew  Warner,  a  son  of  John  Warner  of  Hatfield,  Gloucestershire,  Eng- 
land He  came  from  there  to  Cambridge,  Mass.,  in  1630,  and  to  Hart- 
ford, Coon.,  in  1635.  His  descendants  of  the  iiamc  name  and  of  other 
names  by  marriage,  in  Connecticut  and  other  parts  of  the  United  States, 
arc  very  numerous.  Col  Warner's  maternal  grandfather,  Samuel  Selden, 
who  was  also  the  maternal  great-grandfather  of  the  late  Chief  Justice 
Waite  of  the  U.  S.  Supreme  Court,  was  a  Colonel  in  the  Revolutionary 
army;  and  being  ill,  he  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  British  in  New  York 
upon  its  evacuation  by  Gen.  Washington,  and  died  there. 

It  is  believed  that  he  was  the  Major  Selden  who  led  a  force  of  Con- 
necticut militia  at  the  battle    of  Bunker    Hill.      The  Warner  and  Selden 


34    HISTORICAL   SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA. 


familiK  at  a    very  early  period,  purchased  vast    tracts     of    land  fn>in  tSe' 
Indians,  twelve  or  fifteen  miles  above  the  mouth  of  the  Connecticut  river 
on  which  some  of  their  descendants  have  lived  ever  since. 

Col  Warner  was  the  youngest  of  nine  children,  the  eldest  of  whom 
WM  the  father  of  Mrs,  Waiic,  widow  of  Chief  Justice  Wailc,  niiw  a  resi- 
dent, with  her  daughter,  ut  Washingtou  city.  Before  his  death,  Chief 
Justice  Waiie  and  dauj^hter  visited  Col.  Warner.  Later  Mrs.  VV.iite  came 
with  her  daughter  to  visit  her  uncle.  She  also  assisted  him  in  collating  and 
correcting  the  history  of  "The  Warner  I-'amily"  referred  to  above.  It  was 
the  pleasure  of  the  writer  to  be  invited  to  ride  through  the  San  Gabriel 
valley  with  CoL  Warner  and  Judge  Waiic  and  daughter  on  the  occasion  o 
the  visit  of  the  latter,  who  seemed  greatly  to  enjof  seeing  their  uncle,  as 
well  as  this,  to  them,  new  and  strange  land. 

Col.  Warner  left  home  an  invalid  in  ihe  fall  of  1S30,  at  (he  age  of  2^, 
in  search  of  a  milder  climate  in  which  to  pass  the  ensuing  winter.  He  had 
no  set  purpose  at  the  ouuet,  of  coming  tu  Calilornia,  but,  as  he  himself  says, 
in  his  reminiscences,  he  "was  swept  westerly  by  the  strong  and  uninterrupted 
current  of  humanity  flowing  in  that  direction  until  I  arrived  in  St.  Louis  in 
Nftvember,  with  improved  health."  Smith,  Jaclcson  &  Sublette,  who  con- 
stituted the  Rocky  Mountain  Fur  Company,  haJ  just  arrived  at  St.  Louis 
from  the  rendezvous  of  the  company  on  the  Yellowstone  river  with  a  wa^on 
train  of  furs,  which  (because  it  was  the  tirst  of  that  kind  that  had  ever  ar- 
rived there,  and  because  of  the  great  quantity  and  value  of  the  furs  brought 
down)  caused  quite  a  sensation.  The  next  spring  he  joined  a  trading  expe 
dition  bound  for  Santa  f^.  He  was  impelled  to  do  this  partly  from  the 
novelty  of  going  to  the  mountains,  and  parity  from  the  hope  of  further  im- 
provement in  health.  The  expedition,  which  consisted  of  85  men  and  23 
wagons;  hauled  by  mules  or  oxen,  reached  Santa  F^  July  4,  i8ji.  On  the 
4ith  of  September  he  left  the  latter  place  with  a  small  party  of  eleven  men, 
under  Jackson,  Waldo  and  Youn^,  bound  for  far-distant  California,  taking 
with  them  five  pack  mules  laden  with  Mexican  silver  dollars  to  purchase  mules 
Xor  the  Louisiana  market  The  party  traveled  down  the  Del  Norte  river, 
passing  Albuquerque  and  the  other  towns  along  the  Kioabajo  and  by  the 
■-Santa  Riu  copper  mines,  the  abandoned  Mission  of  San  Javier  de  Tubac, 
Tucson,  then  a  military  post  and  small  town,  the  Hima  villajjes,  etc,  crossing 
'the  river  Colorado  a  few  miles  below  the  mouth  of  the  Gila,  reaching  San 
Diego  via  San  Luis  Rev,  in  the  early  part  of  November,  and  Los  Angeles, 
December  5,  iSjt.  Here  he  remained  with  one  other  man,  whilst  Jackson, 
with  the  rest  of  the  party,  went  north  as  far  as  the  Missions  on  the  southern 
shores  of  San  Francisco  bay  for  the  purpose  of  purchasing  mules  and  horses  ; 
Jackson  returned  in  March  with  only  500  of  the  former  and  100  of   the    lit- 


MEMORIAL  SKETCH  OF  COL  J.  J.   WARNER. 


frr,  instead  of  1 500  or  aocx>  animals  which  he  had  ex|>ected  to  hare  secured. 
In  May,  the  ijarty  which  was  to  have  returned  East,  embracing  most  ol  the 
men  who  came  with  Youn^  and  Jackson,  left  camp  on  the  Santw  Ana  tirer 
with  these  animals,  for  the  Colorado  river,  where  they  arrived  in  June  and 
f<»ind  Ihc  river,  bank  lull.  With  t^re^t  diftii:ulty,  xnd  alter  twelve  days  of  in< 
cessant  toil  in  the  burning;  sun  ot  that  iocality  and  with  considerable  loss  of 
animflls  from  drowning  ami  uilicr  ca^unllies,  the  mules  and  horses  were  iwum 
to  the  opi>osite  shorei  and  Jacksun,  with  about  thirty  men,  proceeded  tCast 
with  ihem  ;  whiUt  Yuun^,  Warner  and  three  others  of  the  party  returned  to 
1.0S  Angeles. 

Mr.  Warner,  with  Young  and  a  small  party  went  on  a  hunting  ex-1 
pedition  on  the  Coast  in  the  summer  of  18^2  ;  and  iturin^  the  succeeding  fall' 
and  winter,  he  was  ')nc  of  a  party  ol  fourteen  who  hunted  beaver  in  Central 
and  Northern  California  and  Oregon.  He  linally  settled  down  in  Los  Ang^ 
Ics  in  1834,  where  f'T  some  time  he  en^ged  in  merchandiiing.  His  stOK 
was  on  Main  street,  between  the  present  site  of  the  St.  Elmo  hotel  and 
Downey  block. 

It  was  here  that  an  exciting  episode  occurred  in  tSjS.  A  force  of  *oa« 
fifteen  CaliiVwniinn  wer;  <eii  down  inm  M  tritetey  tj  arrest  and  take  north 
ibe  Pico  brothers  an  J  JonS  .\ntonio  Carrillo,  Th^se  solliers  came  to  Mr. 
Warner's  stoie  ani  d^minded  to  know  wher;  the  Picos  were,  to  which  he 
replied  that  he  knew  nothing  of  their  whereabouts ;  but  they  apparently  aui- 
I«cted,  but  without  cause,  chat  one  or  both  of  the  brothers  were  about  his 
premises,  one  of  the  soldiers  remarking  that  he,  Warner,  ought  to  be  arrested 
and  put  in  the  guard-house^  Warner  immediately  stepped  back  to  an  adjoin- 
ing  room  and  brought  to  the  itont  a  double  barreled  shot-gun  and  asked  the 
crowd  where  the  man  was  who  wanted  to  take  him  to  the  guard-house.  No 
tunher  attempt  was  then  made  to  mijest  him  ;  but  shortly  afterward,  several 
of  the  soldiers  gained  entrance  to  his  st^re  and  seir.ed  him  unawares,  and  in 
his  attempt  to  break  away,  he  dropped  his  gun,  thus  leaving  him  unarmed 
After  further  struggles  to  free  himsell,  and  an  attempt  by  another  man  t  ' 
shoot  him  with  a  pistol,  he  wrenched  the  pistol  from  his  assajlaut,  when  he 
was  struck  with  a  broadsword  across  the  arm,  breaking  the  bone,  wheteui)on 
William  and  John  Wolfikill,  who  were  working  near  by,  rushed  to  Warner's 
rescue,  William  seizing  hla  rifle  and  snapping  tt  at  one  of  the  rutlians,  but  it 
did  not  go  oft  This  demonstration  caused  the  soldiers  to  desist  from  further 
attack,  and  Warner  begged  Wolfsktll  not  to  shoot,  and  so  the  incident 
ended. 

In  1837  Mr.  Warner  married  Anita  Gale  at  the  Mission  San  Luis  Rey. 
Miss  Gale  was  the  daughter  of  Capt.  Wm,  A.  Gale  of  Boston,  who  brought 
her  to  California  when  five  years  old  and  placed  her  in  the   family   of   DoQa 


26     niSTORICAL   SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA. 


EuUaquia  Pico,  widowed  mother  of  Gov.  Pio  Pico,  where  she  remained  as  a 
daughter  and  sister  till  her  marriage.  She  died  in  I.os  Angeles  April  12, 
1859.     There  are  three  children  living  from  this  union. 

In  1840  41  Col.  Warner  visited  the  Atlantic  Slates,  going  and  returning 
by  way  of  Mexico.  He  delivered  a  lecture  it  Rochester,  N.  Y.,  in  which  he 
urged  the  building  of  a  railroad  lo  the  Pacific,  he  being  the  pioneer  advocate 
of  this  great  national  enterprise,  though  Stephen  Whitney  laid  claim  in 
afler  years,  to  that  honor. 

In  1843  he  moved  to  San  Diego,  and,  in  1844,  having  been  previously 
naturalised  as  a  Mexican  citizen,  he  was  grantee  of  AgvA.  CatU'Uf. — videly 
known  as  "Warner's  Ranch,"  where  he  lived  with  his  family  some  thirteen 
years,  or  until  he  was  driven  off  by  an  uprising  of  the  Indians.  In  1846 
Col.  Warner  was  the  confidential  agent  of  Consul  Larkin  for  the  United 
Sutes.  He  was  a  State  Senator  from  San  Diego  county  in  t85r-3,  and  a 
member  of  the  Assembly  from  Los  Angeles  county  in  j86o.  He  settled  in 
Los  Angeles  in  1857,  where  he  resided  i>ermanently  the  remainder  of  h!s 
life.  In  1858  he  commenced  the  publication  of  the  "Southern  Vineyard" 
newspaper,  at  first  as  a  weekly,  and  afterwards  as  a  semi-weekly.  Our 
co-member,  Mr.  Oscar  Macy,  was  the  foreman  of  his  printing  office,  which 
was  located  in  the  adobe  building  that  formerly  stood  on  the  site  of  the 
present  Phillips  block  on  Main  street.  CoL  Warner  was  a  warm  supporter 
in  his  paper  of  Douglas  for  the  Presidency.  Till  the  breaking  out  of  the 
civil  war,  he  had  always  been  a  democrat.  In  this  county,  at  that  time, 
the  democratic  party,  which  was  largely  in  the  majority,  was  divided  into 
two  factions,  the  "Rosewater"  party,  led  by  J.  Lancaster  Brent,  a  very  astute 
lawyer  and  politician,  who  afterwards  went  south  and  joined  the  Confederate 
army  ;  and  the  "Plug  Uglies"  or  "Short  Hairs,"  the  leader  of  which  was  the 
late  Gov.  Downey,  who,  though  his  faction  was  in  the  minority,  in  the  local 
convention,  secured  in  the  State  convention,  the  nomination  as  lieutenant- 
governor,  to  which  oBice  he  was  elected  in  1859,  and,  as  Milton  S.  Latham 
the  governor,  immediately  on  assuming  olhce  was  elected  United  States  Sen- 
ator, Downey  became  governor.  Col.  ^\'arner,  both  irersonally  and  in  his 
paper,  very  ctliciently  supported  Downey  in  his  canvass.  The  contest  in  that 
political  campaign,  was  extremely  bitter.  The  county  convention  met  in  the 
United  States  court  room,  north  of  the  Plaza,  since  demolished,  which  be- 
longed lo  Downey  ;  but  it  split  wide  Ojwn,  or  into  two  conventions,  on  or- 
ganization. E.  C.  Farrish,  still  a  resident  of  this  county,  was  chairman  of 
the  "Brent  convention,"  wliich  claimed  to  have  a  majority  of  the  regular  dele- 
gates :  and  Wtn.  G.  Russ,  afterwards  shot  by  Charley  Duane  in  San  Fran- 
cisco, was  chairman  of  the  "Downey  convention." 

I  remember  as  an  independent  outsider,  I  ga«-e  the  San  Francisco  Bulte- 


UEMOaiAL  SKKTCH  OF  COL  J.  J.  WAHMCR. 


tin  a  sort  oi  tree  laoce,  and  I  suppose  somewhat  ribald  account  of  the  con- 
ventioD  which  made  l>otb  Cul.  Warner  and  (kiv.  Downey  very  angry  and  the 
foriQer  pitched  into  me  in  his  pajier,  somewhat  rancorou&ly,  and  for  some 
time  alter,  neither  ot  them  hked  mc  ;  but  they  both  got  over  it,  and  we  be- 
came, and  remained  till  their  death,  good  friends. 

The  war  made  CoL  Warner  a  strong  Union  man ;  loyal  democrats  and 
republicans  formed  the  "Uaion  party,"  which  jnttuded  all  voteis  who  were 
not  "secessionists."  When  the  war  cluscd  Downey  and  others  returned  to 
the  deroocratic  parly,  whilst  Warner  and  other  northern  democrats  thereafter 
affiliated  with  the  republican  party.  At  one  period  of  the  war  Col.  Waraer 
VIS  appointed  Fruvust  Marshal.  He  was  a  notary  public  in  this  city 
'some  fiteen  jeais  uiitit  his  rcsignatiun  in  1SS5  on  account  of  failure  of 
eyesight  He  was  joint  author  with  Judge  Benj.  Hayes  and  Dr.  J.  P. 
Widncy  of  the  (1876)  Centennial  "Historical  Sketch  01  Los  Angeles  county," 
a  valuable  publication,  but  now  out  01  print ;  his  contribution  covering  the 
period  from  1771  to  i847.  He  is  recognized  as  one  of  the  best  authurities 
on  early  California  history,  and  especially  of  the  trading  and  trapping;  ex- 
peditions which  entered  the  Territory  whilst  it  was  yet  a  province  01  Mexico- 
The  unfinished  manuscript  reminiscences  referred  to  above,  contain  much 
reliable  and  valuable  data  concerning  these  expeditio.is. 

With  a  clear  memory  and  a  remarkable  capacity  for  straight,  logical 
thinking  to  the  last,  he  was  .i  rentable  cycloi^ia  of  early  local  annals,  as 
well  as  of  informatton  on  most  subjects  of  human  interest.  Although  modest 
and  undemonstrative  in  hts  demeanor,  he  was  a  man  of  many  sterling  •quali- 
ties and  of  a  high  order  of  intelligence.  He  made  no  claim  or  pretense  to 
prominence,  historically  or  otherwise,  because,  as  he  has  himself  said,  "he 
had  not  figured  in  any  great  event  npun  which  im|x>rtant  changes  in  the  gov- 
la'croent  or  geography  of  the  counirj'  had  hinged." 

in  person  C'l.  Warner  was  ull  and,  till  the  infirmities  of  age  caused 
him  to  stoop,  erect,  being  six  leet  and  three  inches  high,  from  which  fact  he 
was  kni>wn  as  "Don  Juan  Largo"  hy  many  of  the  native  Californians.  The 
title  of  Colonel  by  which  he  was  lamillarly  called  for  so  many  years,  was  not 
an  official  one,  but  was  po  mlarly  bestowed  on  him  partly  as  a  compliment, 
and  partly,  it  has  been  said,  because  of  his  prowess  on  a  memorable  occasion 
vhen  his.anch  was  raided  by  a  band  of  hostile  Cahuilla  Indians,  umbering 
nearly  three  hundred,  fie  had  received  warning  and  removed  his  family,  and 
when  attacked,  demoralized  his  immediate  assailants  by  killing  four  of  the 
leaders,  and  efTecling  his  escape  on   horseback  during  the  panic  which  ensued. 

When  the  Indians  approached,  there  were  several  horses  saddled  and 
ready  for  instant  mounting,  and  there  were   loaded  weapons  in  readirtess  for 


28    HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOVTUERU  CAUFOHHIA. 

the  attack,  which  was  expected.  When  Col  Warner  went  co  the  rear  door 
of  his  house  tf>look  for  his  horses,  he  was  greeted  with  a  showrr  of  ariows 
from  two  hundred  Indlaiis;  only  one  hurse  was  left  and  an  Indian  was  untying 
that.  A  shot  from  Warner's  unerring  rifle  [tut  a  stup  to  hts  movements.  Two 
other  Indians  renewed  the  attempt  C'»  get  away  with  the  horse.  They  hoth 
fell  beside  the  first.  This  so  demoralised  the  Indians  that  Col.  Warner  was 
enabled  to  untie  the  horse,  and  ^irap  two  rifles  and  his  |>istols  to  the  saddle 
preparatory  to  his  escape.  Tying  a  crippled  Mulatto  \»>y,  servant  of  an  army 
officer  in  San  Diego,  who  had  hecn  sent  to  him  for  the  benefit  of  the  hot 
springs  on  his  ranrhn,  to  the  horse  behind  the  saddle,  Col.  Warner  mounted 
and  rode  away  before  the  Tndians  had  recovered  sufficiently  to  again  assume 
the  aggressive.  On  reaching  a  village  of  friendly  Indians,  where  his  vaque- 
ros(herdsmcn)were  i|uartered,  he  sent  the  boy  on  lo  ^an  Di?go,  and  );athering 
a  band  of  his  own  men,  he  rode  back  to  the  rancho,  where  he  met  a  stout 
resistance  from  the  Indians,  who,  in  overwhelming  numbers,  were  luxuriating 
in  the  spoil  of  six  thousand  dollars  worth  ctf  merchandise  which  he  had  in 
his  store:  and,  as  his  own  men  could  not  he  depended  upon  to  keep  up  the 
fight  he  was  compelled  to  ride  away  lo  San  Piego  and  abandon  his  property 
lothe  hostile  savages. 

In  loolting  back,  from  the  standpoint  of  the  present  generation,  one  can- 
not help  but  admire  that  heroic  first  group  of  Argonauts  who  "blazed  the 
way,"  as  it  were,  to  those  far  distant,  and  then  almost  unknown  land  boarder- 
m^l  on  that  Pacific  Ocean,  nr,  as  it  was  known  to  early  Enj^lish  navigators, 
the  "South  Sens.*"  This  earliest  group  of  pioneers,  mostly  Americans,  wHo 
me  about,  (that  is  before  or  a  little  after)  the  year  1830,  have,  I  beliere, 
try  line  passed  away,  except  AUred  Robinson,  leaving  very  lew  indeed  of 
the  second  group,  who  came  a  little  before  or  a  little  alter  1840.  Of  the 
former,  I  personally  knew  William  Wutfskill,  John  Temple,  Abel  Stems, 
Samuel  Prentice,  Michael  White.,  Louis  Vignes,  John  Domingo,  J.  J.  Warner, 
Capt.  Cooper,  David  Spenre,  J.  P.  I^ecse,  Samuel  Carpenter,  John  Ward,  etc., 
and  of  the  latter,  William  Workman,  John  Rowland,  Hranciso  Temple,  John 
R.  Wolfskin,  {(till  living,)  Dr.  Richard  S,  Den,  Stephen  Smith  (of  Bodega,) 
Jos.  P.  Thompson  (living  in  San  Francisco,)  John  Reed,  B.  D.  Wilson, 
Henry  and  Francis  Melius,  D.  W.  Alexander,  Alexander  Bell,  etc 

Sonne  of  these  I  knew  very  well;  and  1  have  thought  of  contributing  to 
the  records  of  this  society,  brief  sketches  of  each  one  of  them  including  some 
personal  recollections  of  each.  For,  as  may  be  readily  imagined,  men  who 
could  traverse  an  untravcrsed  continent,  or  come  15,000  miles  or  more  by 
water  to  find  a  home  and  help  found  a  Slate,  must  have  been  strong  charac- 
ters, whose  live*  were  worth  recording,  whose  memories  are  worth  preserving. 
How  few  of  the  present  generation  have  the  standing  tn  endure    all  the  appall- 


MEMORIAL  SKETCH  OF  COL.  J.  J.  W^RJfER. 


eo 


ing  hardships  which  were  endured  by  the  earliest  settlers  of  California,  wheth- 
er Americans  or  Spaniards. 

During  the  latter  part  of  Col.  Warner's  life,  his  sight  failed  till  he 
became  totally  blind  with  this  exception  he  enjoyed  good  health,  both  physical 
and  mental,  till  the  last.  His  home  in  this  city  for  many  years  was  located 
where  the  Burbank  'i'heater  now  stands.  In  1S&7  he  moved  to  the  Univer- 
sity district,  jutt  outside  of  and  south  west  of  the  city.  Here,  with  his  daughter 
Mrs.  Kubio,  and  with  his  grandchildren,  he  lived  till  his  death,  which 
occured  April  11,  1895.  Here,  near  his  friend  and  "fadrino,"  Gov.  Pio  Pico 
to  whom  he  gave  shelter  and  asylum  in  his  old  age  and  misfortunes,  his  last 
years  were  cheered  by  the  memories  which  each  could  recall  of  a  friendship 
that  had  existed  for  more  than  sixty  years,  and  of  a  history  of  California, 
coveting  that  period,  which  they  themselves  had  helped  to  make. 


FROM  flRIZONfl  TO  GflLIFORNIfl  IN  THE  EflRLY  705. 


BY  P.  W.  DOONER. 


[Read  July  i,  1895.] 
After  experiencing  the  viciwimdes  of  froniier  journalism  in  Arizona  for 
»  few  years  I  found  myself  on  board  the  California  bound  stage  at  the  town 
of  Prcscoit,  in  the  month  of  April,  1873.  My  feltew-pasacngeta  for  California 
were  two  disappointed  mining  operators  and  a  very  clever  and  enterprising 
geiuleman  who  reprejented  the  United  States  in  the  capacity  of  Indian  A^ent 
for  the  Mojave  Indians. 

Those  were  the  days  of  Indian  raids,  and  our  path  led  through  many 
deiiles  and  passes  that  were  ihnn,  and  I  have  no  douht  Are  still,  marked  by 
the  humble  little  stone  heaps  or  mounds  that  overlie  the  linal  resting  places 
of  those  of  the  Argonauts  ot  the  '603  and  '705  who  fell  before  the  arrows  or 
bullets  of  the  savage  Apache  Indian  of  that  period. 

The  Arizona  stage  of  those  days  was  a  sort  of  improvised  battery,  and 
in  our  case  the  armament  consisted  of  four  repeating  rifles  carried  obliquely 
across  the  laps  of  the  inmates  so  that  two  muzzles  should  protrude  from  each 
side  door.  In  addition  to  these  more  formidable  weapons  there  was  one 
revolver  to  each  passenger  and  two  or  more  of  these  latter  were  disposed 
about  the  person  and  seat  of  the  driver. 

Thus  equipped  for  war  we  took  our  departure  from  one  of  the  prettiest 
:oivns,  in  one  of  the  moat  charminii  locations  anywhere  in  the  West,  and 
were  soon  whirling  away  behind  four  spirited  horses  that  were  guided  by  a 
profewional  driver  of  the  old  school,  whose  peculiar  sicill  seemed  to  consist  in 
a  rare  ability  to  have  his  stage  forever  upon  the  point  of  capsizing  without 
once  involving  the  threatened  catastrophe. 

But  it  must  not  be  inferred  that  our  armament  was  by  any  means  a  mere 
ostentalious  display.  It  was  only  a  few  months  prior  to  the  date  of  our 
journey  that  the  tragedy  which  has  gone  down  to  hiscor>'  as  the  "WJcVenburg 
Massacre"  uas  enacted  upon  the  route  over  which  we  were  to  pass  within  the 
next  succeeding  twenty-four  hours,  and  Ibat  event  was  the  third  of  a  series  of 
successful  Indian  raids  u\Kin  travelers  by  ihisioad  within  the  period  of  eight- 
een months,  or  ihereabouis. 

This  w&s  the  pniricular  tragedy  in  nhich  the  California-bound  stage 
with  seven  passengers  was  attacked  by  a  band    of    hostile  Apache  Indians, 


FROM  ASIZOJV^  TO  CALIFOH.yiA  /vV  THE  '70s.       SI 


resulting  in  the  death  of  Cour  persDns,  among  whom  wji  Frederick  Loring,  a 
young  fiostontan  oi  extraordiiury  promise  in  the  world  of  letters,  as  well  as  a 
man  of  rcrj-  distinguished  prcsenre  and  most  f-iKinating  address.  He  had 
lately  graduated  from  Harvard  and  wai  returning  home  after  a  protracted 
outing  across  the  continent  when  he  becatae  a  j)aMenger  by  the  ill-fated  sta^e. 
The  atrocity  of  this  m.issacre  sent  such  a  thrill  of  ho/ror  through  the  c  juatry 
that  it  was,  in  all  proliabilily,  the  immediate  cause  of  the  inauguration  of  the 
new  policy  of  force  that  soon  thereafter  culminated  in  the  complete  and 
permanent  subjugation  of  the  hitherto  unsubdued  Apache.  And  thua, 
however  deplorable  his  loss  and  the  manner  of  lis  death,  Fred  Loring  had 
not  lived  and  died  in  vain. 

It  will  thus  be  understood  that  the  measures  which  were  taken  to  defend 
our  conveyance  were  presumably  necessary,  and  besides  this  tbey  had  the 
sanction  of  custom  and  were  the  usual  precautions  observed  by  travelers  to 
secure  their  safety  over  this  route  in  thk>se  turbulent  times. 

But  our  party  was  one  of  the  fortunate  ones,  for  our  stage  ran  the  gaunt- 
let without  any  adventure  save  a  small  panic  occasioned  by  the  accidental 
discharge  of  a.  gun  in  the  hands  of  one  of  the  party  which,  of  course,  suggested 
an  ittAcIc  until  the  incident  was  hurriedly  explained. 

But  notwithstanding  the  safe  arrival  of  our  conveyance  beyond  the  most 
westerly  hostile  outpost  toward  the  afternoon  of  the  third  day,  it  was  still  a 
great  relief  to  loolc  upon  the  turbid  waters  of  the  Colorado  river  at  the  town 
of  Rhrenherg,  a  few  hours  later,  and  to  feci  that  we  were  about  to  enter  a  1  .and 
of  Promise.  It  was  at  thi.s  place  that  we  bade  good-bye  to  Or.  Tanner,  the 
Indian  Agent;  and  before  I  dismiss  the  Doctor,  this  evening,  I  will  give  his 
estimate  of  the  "Noble  Red  Man"  of  the  reservation  as  a  reasonable  or  reason- 
ing animal.  Replying  to  my  inq'.iiry  in  this  particular  I  was  re<]ue8ted  by  the 
Doctor  to  draw  my  inference  from  his  narrative,  which  was  briefly  as  follows; 
The  Indian  Bureau  had  sun^cstcd  the  placing  of  the  Yutna  and  the  Mojavc 
Indians  upon  a  single  reservation  located  in  the  tradittonaJ  territory  of  the 
Mojaves;  but  the  strong  opiosition  of  the  Mojaves,  in  council,  invariably 
thwarted  this  economic  purpose.  Upon  being  questioned  by  the  Agent  3.%  t<> 
the  nature  ot  the  deliberations  of  the  Mojavc  Council  that  resulted  in  such 
sturdy  opposition,  the  Chief  gravely  stated  that  the  Yumas  were  not  any 
braver  than  squaws,  and  thut  if  they  should  be  brought  to  the  Mojavc  rcser- 
\-aLion  Ihey  would  be  sure  to  fall  into  the  river  and  that  the  brave  Mojaves 
would  have  to  go  into  the  water  to  pull  tliem  out.  And  so,  to  maintain  this 
position  the  Mojaves  held  ihemsclvea  ready  to  revolt. 

The  travek-r  who  at  the  present  time  crosses  the  Colorado  desert  in  a 
palace  car  and  yet  br<>athc*  out  invective  against  the  zephyrs  that  agitate  its 
atmosphere,  (as  I  am   reliably  informed  that  some  of  them  have  been   known 


Sg  BISTOmCJt  SOCIETr  OF  SOUTH ERJ<r  CALIF OBXI A. 


\o  do,)  because  those  breezes  are  a  trifle  sultry,  b,  I  fear,  a  msst  degenerate 
production  of  our  modern  pampered  civilization.  In  those  pre-railroad  days 
of  which  I  speak  the  lourisi  was  dragged  slowly  across  this  sandy  expanse  at 
a  rate  of  progression  by  which  the  hours  of  the  raibxMd  train  were  alm^ist 
lengthened  into  days— and  the  traveler  of  that  heroic  period  didn't  grumble 
about  it  either,  but  calmly,  at  least,  if  not  coolly,  submitted  to  the  desiccating 
process;  and  those  travelers  were  not  always  of  the  male  sex  either,  for  women 
were  frequently  passengers  by  the  trans-desert  stages  of  those  days,  and  they 
were  never  the  first  to  betray  a  lack  of  fortitude  under  the  hardships  or, 
dangers  incident  to  the  journey. 

Toward  :hc  close  of  our  first  day  hitherward  from  the  Colorado  river  wel 
reached  Chucawalla.  Chucawalla  was  then,  and  is  now  I  believe,  a  station 
where  refreshments  and  lodging  are  supposed  to  be  furnished.  The  place 
wasju3tabo;)t  as  classic  in  its  surroundings  as  the  jingle  of  its  name  would 
suggest.  We  came  upon  the  scene  at  a  moment  when  all  the  indications 
pointed  to  a  recent  domestic  calamity.  We  were  informed  by  the  driver  that 
the  occupant  was  blessed  by  an  Indian  wife,  taken  according  to  Indian  ritei 
and  thai  unhappy  difTerences  of  opinion  had  agitated  the  domestic  hearth' 
within  the  period  of  twcnty-fcur  hours,  which  had  deprived  the  establishment 
of  its  mistress,  and  which  would  materially  affect  the  accommodations  of  the 
place.  A  notice  which  had  just  been  posted  in  a  contpicuous  place  upon  the 
outer  front  wall  of  the  family  hut  gave  the  only  other  information  that  we 
could  gather  concerning  the  family  trouble.  This  was  scrawled  in  plain  but 
uncouth  letters — Roman  and  Script  intermixed — and  wai  carefully  copied 
into  my  diary.     It  reads  as  follows: 

"Notice: — An  oldish  squaw  about  30  ;  blind  in  one  eye — the  left  one; 
a  slight  halt  in  one  leu ;  a  thoroughbred.  She  has  abandoned  the  ranch, 
aitd  anyone  who  \^ill  get  her  back  will  receive  twu   sacks  of  mezquite  beans." 

Wc  were  detained  here  for  some  four  hours,  and  up  to   the  time  of  our 

departure  no  person  had  come  to  claim  the  proffered  reward. 

From  ChucawalU  westward  was  the  usual  desert  journey,  undisturbed 
by  incident,  but  still  anex|}erience  that  must  have  been  undergone  in  order  to 
be  appreciated.  No  words  can  convey  an  adequate  conception  of  the  desola- 
tion of  the  mid-desert  region.  The  stillnass  and  silence  are  unbroken  by  any 
motion  or  sound  except  it  be  the  Wbralion  of  the  palpitating  air  under  the 
torrid  heat,  or  the  voice  of  the  driver  as  he  urges  the  weary  mules  to  renewed 
■exertion.  In  one  direction  the  view  is  swallowed  up  in  the  mirage,  or  ex* 
bausts  itself  over  an  endless  expanse  of  sand,  and  in  the  opposite  direction 
a  reddish-brown  sandstone  bluff  rims  the  horizon.  But  indigenous  life 
there  is  none  at  all — nothing  but  sky  and  sand  and  sweltering  heat  One 
might  reasonably  suppose  that   the  twilight  hour  would  bring    some  relief 


FROMABIZOuYA  TO  CALlFORJflA  IX  THE  'TOs.      SS] 


from  the  oppressive  heat,  but,  while  the  temperature  of  the  night  may  have 
been  much  lower  than  that  of  the  day  there  was  always  some  compcnsatinij 
influence  in  the  atmosphere  of  the  night  that  made  much  change  hardly,  if  at 
all,  percq>tible.  The  night  breeze,  if  such  there  happened  to  be,  wai  invariably 
so  warm  oa  to  make  it  much  more  comfortable  to  tcccen  the  face  from  iti 
contact  than  to  invite  exposure  to  iu  biting  inlluence;  white,  in  a  calm,  the 
constant  radiation  of  heat  from  the  burning  sands  of  the  preceding  hours  of 
day  maintained  the  atmosphere  at  a  temperature  always  above  the  norma) 
heat  of  the  human  body. 

In  the  first  week  of  May,  1872,  we  arrtred  at  Los  Angeles  and  were 
duly  delivered  over  to  mine  host  of  the  Bella  Union,  Dr.  J.  B.  Win^to^. 
Only  about  twenty-three  years  have  elapted,  and  yet  the  transformation  of 
Los  Angeles  is  the  evolution  of  a  great,  populouti  city,  instinct  with  business 
and  industrial  energy,  from  a  mere  buaincd^  corner  centered  at  the  little  plaza 
in  front  of  Temple  Block.  There  was  then  practically  no  city  west  of  Hill 
street  or  south  of  Fifth  sueet,  and  the  outlying  habitations  within  these  limits 
were  quite  suburban.  The  entire  hill  districts  of  the  city,  in  whatsoever 
direction,  were  the  homes  of  the  squirrel,  the  rabbit  and  the  burrowing  uwl. 
The  dreamer  had  not  yet  slumbered  whose  sanguine  ^-isions  were  thereafter 
to  lake  form  in  the  ciiies  of  I'asadena  and  Santa  Monica  and  Pomona  and 
Santa  .\na.  The  erstwhile  mound  that  raised  its  summit  where  our  magnifi- 
cent Courthouse  building  now  siando  was  still  crowned  by  the  ocean  sediment 
with  which  it  emerged  from  the  ancient  sea.  Broadway  came  to  an  abrupt 
termination  in  a  bluff  at  a  point  between  First  and  Franklin  streets,  while 
almost  immediately  above  the  line  of  the  southerly  sidewalk  on  Temple  street 
there  arose  the  crest  of  a  ridge  to  nearly  the  same  elevation  as  the  present 
site  of  the  Uradbury  residence.  The  intervening  gulch  or  ravine  having  been 
filled  in  by  the  demolition  of  this  ridge  is  now  the  site  of  shapely  residences 
chat  give  forth  no  hint  of  the  foundntion  ti[)(in  which  thej-  resL 

And  now  when  we  contemplate  the  future,  and  see  in  the  distance  the 
areha:ologist  of  the  fiftieth  century  excavating  at  this  point  and  turning  up 
the  tons  of  broken  china  and  refuse  kitchen  and  hou.sehoId  utensils  that 
were  dumped  into  that  ravine  some  iwcnly-rivc  or  thirty  years  ago,  we  are 
prepared  to  prefigure  his  report:  He  has  unearthed  the  ancient  city  that  was 
destroyed  by  the  norlhen  invaders  in  the  dreadful  sack  and  pillage  of  1846. 
But  as  I  do  not  wish  to  further  anticipate  trie  scientific  Kcmteman  of  A.  D, 
5000  I  will   leave  him  to  finish  his  great  work  upon  this  plan. 

Of  course  no  archaeologist  of  the  luture  can  possibly  fall  into  any  such 
grave  and  ludicrous  error  if  the  City  of  Los  Angeles,  or  the  County  of  Los 
Angeles,  or  if  both  of  theae  municipal  bodies  combined  will  take  immediate 
action  in  the  matter  of  furnishing  suitable  permanent  quarters  for  the  museum 
and  records  of  the  Historical  Society;  and  we  should  sec  to  it  that  this  pur- 
pose be  persistently  urged,  not  merely  as  a  matter  of  expediency,  but  as  an 
lugent  necessity  to  preserve  the  truth  of  history. 


SHiP  BUILDING  AT  THE  SAN  GABRIEL  HISSION. 


aV   FRANK    J.    POLLEV. 


[Read  March  4,  1895.] 

The  fiict  that  a  ship  was  coiuitiucted  at  Sua  Gitbriel  and  carried  in  piooes 
to  San  Tedro;  there  placed  in  pjsitJou  aod  properly  lauache  I.  ia  generally 
orerlooked  iu  ireatiiig  of  the  achievements  br  the  raUsioii  fathers  Tliehis-, 
torioiiB  havti  aImu^t  uuthing  on  the  subject  and  Lhu  dau  U'il  by  old  pii^aeen 
distressingly  meajfre.  The  conaLruction  of  this  sliip  niarkL<d  the  be^jinniag 
a  new  ent  in  Southern  Calirirnia's  prosjterity  which  later  on  miuiy  cLcui 
slauciw  ounspired  to  defent. 

The  tirst  ship  ever  oonfttructed  nn  the  suuiheru  shores  of  the  PaciGc  was 
built  by  the  Jesuit  Father  Uganc  in  [7i9<  A  ship  was  needed  I'or  the  coast 
survey.  After  tmveling  many  miles  in  the  mountains  suitable  timber  was 
found  at  lost.  Its  tran»purtati<in  to  the  coast  presented  difficulties  considered 
almust  insurmountable.  Futher  Ugnrte's  ship  for  a  time  became  a  matter  for 
Joke.  But  his  energy  uvcrcamc  all  obstacles.  He  had  the  timi>er  felled, 
hewn  and  dragged  to  the  c<ia*i  and  there  built  a  ship  which  he  named  the 
Triumph  of  the  Cross.  The  recollection  of  this  fact  may  liavc  stimulated 
the  priests  of  San  Gabriel  to  a  like  achievcnieut. 

Father  Sancher  was  a  priest  of  great  executive  ability.  When  called  to 
Ban  Gabriel  the  lowc-ring  clouds  of  teculariution  were  in  the  .^ky,  but  the  rev- 
enues and  assists  of  the  mission  were  still  prosperous  and  in  tlic  present,  the 
probabilities  of  the  future  were  dismissed.  The  lands  were  well  tilled,  the 
stock  had  multiplied  and  tho  trade  with  ctMUting  vessels  had  furnished  a 
handiome  profit  for  all  concerned.  The  enerjiy  and  executive  abilit>'  of 
Father  Salvidea,  hii  predecessor  in  office,  had  given  an  impetus  to  the  work 
at  the  San  Gabriel  Mission  and  Father  Sanchez,  if  he  was  desirous  of  periJCi- 
ualing  his  own  fame,  must  have  realized  chat  it  would  lx>  incumlwnc  upon 
him  to  divide  the  honors  by  the  origination  of  some  plan  that  would  direct 
a  new  channdl  of  wealth  to  the  miesion  coffers.  The  mission  fathers  by 
means  of  the  coasting  vessels  and  travelers,  kept  well  informed  of  occurrences 
on  the  coast.  There  were  largf  numbers  of  otter  and  they  knew  the  busincsa 
had  already  proven  profitable  at  Clemente  aud  Catalitia  UUnds.  lu  the 
journals  of  Father  PeQa  and  Crespi  the  Indians  are  described  as  dressing  in 
the  skins  of  the  otter  and    the  pelu  seem   to  have  been  put  to  roany  uses  by 


SHIP  BUILDl.ya  ,1T  THE  SA^  GABRIEL  MjSSIOJi.     30 


ihe  Indiftns.  The  old  adobe  owned  by  tbe  mission  faihers  and  situated  on 
the  San  Pedru  blufft  wac  then  in  a  good  state  of  preservation  and  wat  used 
as  a  warehouse.  It  would  be  a  source  of  great  financial  gain  to  the  mission 
if  ihe  wafchouse  could  be  filled  with  otter  slcios  instead  of  hides  aud  uUow. 
Thure  wsi  do  question  but  that  tbe  supply  of  otter  would  not  last  long.  Re- 
ports were  curreut  aC  .Mouterey  and  in  ihe  North  of  the  reckless  8laughterin>; 
of  these  raluable  animals.  About  thi$  time  a  small  vessel  had  boen  built 
and  launched  ni-ar  Santa  Burbara  i'>r  the  purpose  of  engaging  in  thiH  trade. 
Little  is  known  of  her.  Practical  shipwrights  were  exceedingly  scarce  on  the 
Pacific  Coast  in  the  ihirtiM.  The  Indians  had  oo  knowledge  of  the  details  of 
ship  building.  Jlilaay  Indians  were  then  on  the  main  land  who  had  formerly 
lired  upon  the  Ulauds.  The  early  missionaries  report  (hem  as  possessing 
large  canoes  capable  of  holding  a  dozen  or  more,  but  though  clever  in  many 
things  they  had  not  yet  acquired  the  skill  of  constructing  sailing  vessels. 

For  nearly  a  year  the  matter  of  the  ship  must  have  been  in  abeyance  at 
the  San  (iabrtcl  Mission.  Joseph  Chapman  was  then  living  there  doing  odd 
jobs  as  a  man  of  all  work.  He,  alone,  <if  all  men  there,  seems  to  have  be«n 
the  only  practical  shijiwri^ht.  After  a  remarkable  career  and  an  adventurous 
life  he  had  apparently  settled  down  to  steady  employment.  He  was  married; 
had  a  family,  and  w.13  especially  fitted  for  the  work  in  hand. 

It  is  said  a  luunch  was  constructed  in  1824  at  San  Francisco  by  an  Eng- 
lishman. The  Kussinns  ceitaiidy  brought  their  own  t»mta  and  what  tbe 
Californians  hud  used  previous  to  this  time  came  from  Mexico  or  were  ptV' 
cbaeed  fr>'m  the  Russians  and  Americans. 

I^s  Angeles  ha'l  a  p'pulaUon  of  1300  and  ranked  among  the  ftrnt  towns 
in  the  state,  but  aa  a  rule  the  people  did  not  belong  to  the  working  class:. 
The  S}iBnish  colonists  did  not  come  here  with  a  desire  to  work.  The  Indi- 
ans could  do  only  menial  ttisks  and  the  soldiers  very  seldom  engaged  in 
labor.  The  Indians  regarded  both  theni  and  their  guns  with  a  superstitious 
reverence  ami  it  was  hardly  consistent  with  their  roleof  superior  beings  to  be 
teen  Fnga;;ed  in  daily  toil.  Dana's  indictment  of  the  California  people  is  well 
known  tube  true.  He  says— "as  a  rule  they  were  shiftless;  they  had  grapes 
and  paid  hit^h  prices  for  Boston  wines;  th<-y  had  hides  and  paid  exorbitantly 
for  shoes  madu  from  Californin  skins  that  hnd  twice  been  around  the  Horti." 
Rolrtns.>n  and,  In  f.ict,  all  'ither  travelers,  bear  testimony  to  subitantiatlv  the 
same  fads. 

At  the  missions  the  ])riests  produced  some  remiukable  results  though  in 
the  line  of  manufactured  articles  but  little  of  the  Indian  work   has  come  to 
us  of  any  special  value.     The  American  element  was  just  making  itself  felt    tX-' 
this  time.     They  were  slowly  settling  on  large  tracts  of  land,    were   marrying' 
into  good  families,  and  becoming  of  social  and  political  importance.     Joseph 


Se  HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OFSOUTHEMX  CALIFORJ^'-IA. 


Chapman,  cspecialljr,  seems  to  have  fallen  into  good  hands.  From  the  time 
of  his  capture  among  the  Bouchard  pirates  he  had  had  friends  in  the  stat& 
He  was  a  favorite  with  Father  SanchM  who  kept  him  quite  regularly  employed 
at  the  raission  posts.  Being  a  sailor  he  was  a  jack,  ofalltnides  and  was  the 
rerr  man  for  the  priest's  purposes.  Father  Sanchez  was,  doubtless,  stirred  to 
renewed  activity  from  the  fact  that  dhortly  before  this  there  had  been  much 
talk  about  secularization.  The  trading  instinct  in  him  had  led  to  some  pe- 
culiar transactions;  as  the  result  of  which  he  had  beea  charged  with  smug- 
gling. Though  not  convicted  he  had  felt  chasrioed  and  had  asked  for  a  pass  to 
retire  from  the  country  only  to  be  refused.  All  these  tnatters  made  his  ten- 
ure at  the  mission  of  uncertain  duration;  and  meanwhile  the  slaughter  of  the 
i^tei  meant  their  ultimaieextermination:the  small  vessel  built  ht  Santa  Barbara 
a]so  meant  opposition  to  the  plans  of  the  friar  so  from  now  on  the  project  of 
II  vessel  to  h&  u«ed  in  otter  hunting  was  pushed  with  all  his  characteristic 
enerjjy. 

Timber  was  available  in  the  mountains.  The  priests  were  thoroughly 
conversant  with  every  caflon  and  trail  for  tailea  around  the  mission.  Indians 
were  to  be  had  in  plenty  for  the  labor  of  transportation,  but  it  was  important 
thai  the  vessel  when  built  should  be  manned  by  men  experienced  both  as 
mariners  and  sailor*.  Prior  Laughlaa  and  Youni,  who  had  recently  come  to 
Los  Angeles,  answered  these  requirements.  The  exact  place  from  which  the 
limbers  were  taken  will,  perhaps,  always  be  a  source  of  uncertainty.  Tradi- 
tion points  to  a  number  of  such,  but  strict  investigation  is  apt  to  disjicl  all 
theories.  It  was  certainly  a  custom  to  cut  large  sticks  of  timbers  in  the 
mo  rntains,  haul  them  overland  and  by  turning  the  logs  from  time  to  time 
partially  smooth  and  plane  them  during  the  hauling.  Some  of  the  rafters  in 
the  San  Fcriundo  Mission  were  treated  in  this  manner.  It  is  also  on  record 
that  on  Christmas  eve  in  1828  or  9  the  brig  Danube  of  New  York,  with  a 
party  of  twenty-eight  men,  dragged  her  anchors  in  San  Pedro  bay  during  a 
south-easter  and  went  ashore  a  total  wreck.  The  party  were  taken  to  the 
house  of  Antonio  Kocha  and  doubtless  some  of  these  men  were  available  for 
rhe  jiroject  of  Father  Sanchez. 

It  is  certain  tnat  Samuel  Prentice  afterwards  was  in  the  otter  hunting 
scheme  and  at  his  death  was  buried  on  ('atallna  Island.  Some  of  the  older 
fishermen  now  engaged  at  the  Island  remember  the  titter  hunting  in  the  olden 
times,  but  the  grave  of  Prentice  is  lost  forever.  The  timbers  and  derelict  of 
the  brig  Danube  must  have  afforded  material  for  Chapman  and  Father  San- 
cheic  The  most  careful  gleaning  of  history,  memoirs  and  manuscripts  wilt 
only,  yield  vague  rumors  and  isolated  farts  about  the  San  Gabriel  ship  yard 
but  it  seems  certain  that  the  vessel  was  not  completed  for  more  than  a  year, 
and  perhaps  two,  after  this  storm.  It  is  also  in  evidence  that  parties  from 
nta  Barhata  visited  San  Pedro  to  gather  material  from  the  wreck. 


SSIP  BUILDIJfQ  AT  XUE  SAJf  QAJiSIEL  MISjSIOJ^.     S7 


Merchanu  who  visited  tbe  coast  in  these  years  noted  the  schooner's  con- 
suuciioD  and  ihe  wide  spread  interest  it  excited.  Such  an  event  would, 
doubtless,  attiftct  much  ailention.  The  men  were  a  aadon  of  riders  who 
thought  nothing  o(  a  trip  from  Santa  Barluiia  to  I^s  Angeles  and  doubtless 
there  was  not  an  idle  cavalier  in  Southern  California  who  had  not  interested 
himself  in  the  acts  of  these  Americans  and  the  project  of  the  Mission  fathers. 

Invitations  were  issued  long  before  the  expected  launch  took  place. 
There  is  nothing  in  the  California  records  about  the  license  to  trade;  but  it 
was  a  necessary  prerequisite  and  if  the  difficulties  experienced  by  those  in 
Santa  Harbara  be  a  criterion,  it  dispels  the  mysterious  delay  in  the  construc- 
tion and  launching  of  the  San  Gabriel  ship.  The  elaborate  studies  by  Black- 
nuQ  in  relation  to  the  new  institution  ol  Spain  have  oi>ened  up  a  maze  of 
errors,  diflficulties  and  senseless  rules  by  which  Spain  crippled  the  domestic 
commerce  of  her  colonies.  Smuggling  was  fast  becoming  so  fashionable 
that  stringent  measures  were  necessary  for  protection  of  revenue 

As  before  intimated  Father  Sanchez  being  there  under  the  ban  of  suspi- 
cion and  former  associations,  doubtless  experienced  all  the  vexatious  trials 
and  delays  of  the  law.  At  Santa  Barbara  the  governor  stopped  work  on  the 
Tcssjl  until  a  proper  permit  was  obtained-  After  several  weeks'  delay  this  was 
granted;  then  more  detays,  and  by  the  end  of  the  year  a  license  to  trade  was 
issued  but  with  the  restriction  that  it  be  only  for  one  year,  six  men  to  consti- 
tute a  crew  and  more  than  one-half  of  these  mu$t  be  Mexicans.  Before  even 
this  permit  could  be  granted  it  required  several  months'  correspondence  with 
tbe  authorities  in  Mexico. 

Our  historians  seem  to  have  over-tooked  data  for  Father  Sanchez*  vessel. 
Bancroft  does  not  know  her  name  and  in  the  thiee  places  she  is  mentioned 
the  tonnage  is  given  as  6,  60  and  9ijtons.  Col.  Warner  has  about  three  lines 
devoted  to  its  history.  It  is  all  the  more  surprising  since  it  was  a  cause 
celebra  as  the  fust  vessel  of  any  importance  to  be  launched  in  the  Si^uthern 
California  waters.  Father  Sanchez  did  not  live  to  see  the  vessel  launched. 
Mission  troubles  bore  heavily  upon  the  old  priest  and  his  sudden  death  cut 
short  bis  ambitious  plan»,  but  as  the  time  drew  near  for  the  launch  the  vessel 
was  taken  to  pieces  and  great  carts  were  prepared  for  its  overland  transporta* 
tion  to  the  water.  Invitations  had  been  sent  far  and  wide  to  guests.  Tbe 
carts  used  by  the  Califormana  wcie  drawn  by  oxen  and  were  rough,  heavily 
made  structures.  The  ordinary  ones  in  use  at  the  time  consisted  of  a  frame- 
or  platform  about  five  feet  by  twelve  set  on  a  rough  axle  and  a  pair  of  wheels. 
These  wheels  were  sawn  from  a  solid  block  of  wood  two  or  three  feet  in  diam- 
eter. They  were  about  ten  inches  in  thickness  at  the  centre  and  tapered  down- 
to  about  five  inches  at  the  rim  where  they  were  sometimes  bound  with  tires 
but  more  generally  not.  The  yoke  was  fastened  across  the  foreheads  of  the 
animals  by  means  of  rawhide  thongs  placed  below  the  horns.     There  wer« 


S8  SISTORTCJL  SOCIETV  OF  SOUTHERN'  CJLIFORX'IJ. 


generally  outiidcn  to  such  carts.  Tht  men  moonted  their  fiery  hones,  swung 
tbetr  realas  and  beat  and  urged  oa  the  oxen  with  loud  cries.  Probably  in 
thu  manner  the  long,  du«ty  miles  from  San  Gabriel  to  the  port  wete  accou- 
pUriied.  The  details  of  the  launch  rest  upon  the  authority  of  Alfred  Robinson 
wbo  had  recctved  an  invitation  ami  wig  present.  In  hts  "Ijfe  in  California'' 
he  eays:  "A  launch  was  to  take  place  at  San  Pedn>— the  second  veaccl  ever 
coDstnicted  in  California.  She  was  a  schooner  of  about  60  tons  that  had 
been  entiiely  framed  at  San  Gabriel  and  Stled  for  subsequent  completion  at 
San  Pednx  Every  piece  of  timber  had  been  fitted  thirty  mttes  from  tbe 
place  and  brought  d<>wn  lo  the  beach  on  cartv.  She  was  called  tbe  Guada- 
loupc  in  honor  of  the  patrun  saint  of  Mexico  and  as  the  alfair  was  considered 
qtihe  an  important  era  in  tbe  history  of  the  country  many  were  invited  from 
Car  and  near  to  witness  it. 

"Her  builder  m&  a  Yanlcee  named  Chapman  who  had  served  his  appren- 
ticeship with  a  Boston  ship  builder.  He  was  one  of  a  piratical  cruiser  that 
aiucked  Monterey  at  which  time  he  was  taken  prisoner  and  had  lived  in  the 
country  ever  sit>ce.  From  his  long  residence  he  had  acquired  a  mongr^ 
'anguage.  English,  Spanish  and  Indian  being  so  mingled  in  his  speech  that  it 
was  difficult  to  understand  him.  Although  illiterate,  his  ingenuity  and  honest 
deportment  had  acquired  for  him  the  esteem  of  the  Californians  and  a  con- 
nectioa  In  marriage  with  one  of  the  first  families  cf  the  ccuntry.  Father 
Sanchez  of  San  Gabriel  used  to  say  Chapman  could  get  more  work  out  of  the 
Indians  in  his  unintelligible  tongue  than  all  the  mayor  domos  put  together.  1 
was  present  on  one  Occasion  when  he  wished  to  dispatch  an  Indian  to  the 
beach  at  Sao  Pedro  with  his  ox  wagon,  charging  him  to  retoni  as  soon  as 
possible.  His  directions  ran  somewhat  in  this  t::annei:  "Ventural  VamosI 
trae  los  bueyes  go  down  to  the  playa  and  come  back  as  quick  as  you  can 
puede." 

^^f  San  Pedro  today  is  not  to  lively  a  place  as  it  must  have  been  at  the  time 

m  ef  thb  launch.     On  all  important  occasions  crowds  flocked  to  the  beach,  and 

I  Robinson  describes  the  busy  scettes  both   on  sea    and    shore  when  vessels 

I  were  in  the  harbor, — Boats  flying  to  an  fro;  men,  women  and  children  crowd. 

I  ingthe  docks,  lining  the  blufTs  and  all  taking  in  the  general  excitement;  there 

I  were  loaded  crafts  along  the  beach;  men  and  Indians  busily  employed  in  their 

I  various  daties;  groups  of  individuals  seated  around  little   bon-fires  upon    the 

I  ground;  there  were  horseman  rocing  their  animals  over  the  plains.     Thus  the 

I  hours  were  spent,  some  arriving  and  some  departing.      Until   long  after  sun. 

I  down  the  dusty  road   leading   across  the  plain    to  Los  Angeles  appeared  a 

I  liviog  panorama.     After  the  launch  had  been  successfully  accomplished    the 

B  vessel  made  a  number  of  trips  for  otter. 


SBIP  SUJLDIXO  AT  TBiS  SAX  OABMIEL  MISSION.     SO 


Col.  Warner  saw  her  mzny  times  Ij-'ins;  in  the  roidstead,  but  it  ts  not 
known  where  she  was  filially  wrecked,  althuuijh  the  event  happened  only  a 
few  years  ai'te/  hec  launch. 

The  festivitiea  at  San  Pedro  and  the  first  vessel  of  aiiy  importance  ever 
constructed  on  the  California  coast,  have  passed  an-ay,  and  a  cause  celebre  is 
now  almost  a  myth  in  our  local  annals.  The  facts  supposi-d  to  be  known  are: 
The  vessel  was  named  Guadalou^ie ;  she  was  owned  by  the  San  Gabriel  mis- 
sion  ;  built  under  the  supervision  of  Joseph  Chapman  ;  constructed  at  San 
Gabriel,  and  about  1831  launched  at  San  Pcdm.  Everything  connected  with 
this  curious  event  in  our  forgotten  local  annals,  when  severally  studied,  is 
strongly  dramatic.  The  advent  of  Chapman  from  Bouchard's  pirate  ship; 
his  subse(]uenl  marria^je,  naturalization  and  employment  as  utility  man  at  the 
mission;  the  wreck  ot  the  brig  "Danube;"  the  struggle  of  Father  Sanchez 
with  mission  troubles  and  ship  building  ;  the  enlisting  of  the  -American  pio- 
neers in  the  labor  of  construction ;  the  cartage  to  the  beach  and  festivities 
among  the  populace ;  and.  last  scene  of  all,  the  wreck  of  the  boat. 

Every  one  of  the  piiineers,  from  Chapman  to  Prentice,  made  his  mark 
on  the  history  of  our  country,  and,  although  the  historians  have  sadly  neg- 
lected thio  abortive  attempt  at  domestic  shipping,  it  ib  certain  that  its  many 
scenes  lingered  long  in  the  memories  of  our  old  pioneers,  and  by  piecing  to* 
gether  such  narratives  as  are  accessible,  the  laint  outline  of  the  story  has  been 
presented  in  the  hopes  that  later  research  and  more  general  interest  in  these 
matters  may  lead  to  the  discovery  of  live  matter  with  which  to  rehabilitate 
this  autique  historic  skeleton. 


4^  BISTOniCAL  SOCIETT  OF  SOUTBERJiC  CALIFOU^IA. 


noithitcst  one  hundred  varas  (278  feet) — this  lino  would  constituie  the  eut 
erlj  line  of  the  old  plaza.  On  this  line  construct  a  para11cbgr»m  with  iU 
opposite  or  westerly  Bide  one  hundred  varas  in  length,  anU  its  notiherly  and 
southerly  sides  seventy-five  varas  each.  These  boundaries  wilt  locate,  ap- 
proximately, as  near  ss  it  is  possible  now  to  locate  the  plaza  real  or  royal 
square  of  (he  old  Pueblo  of  our  Lady  of  the  Angeli. 

At  the  founding  of  the  pueblo,  September  4,  1781,  the  plaza  was  dedi- 
cated with  solemn  ceremonies.  A  mass  was  said  by  a  priest  from  the  Mission 
San  Gabriel  aided  by  the  choristers  and  musicians  of  that  mission.  There 
were  salvos  of  musketry,  a  procession  with  a  cross,  candlesticlts,  etc.  The 
standard  of  Spain,  with  the  image  of  our  I-ady  the  Queen  of  the  Angels,  (the 
latter  carried  by  the  women)  was  borne  at  the  head  of  the  procession.  This 
procession  made  a  circuit  of  the  plaza,  the  priest  blcsMng  the  plaza  and  the 
building  lots,  and  it  is  said  that  Governor  Neve  made  a  speech,  the  first  ever 
made  within  the  limits  of  Los  Angeles.  I  have  been  unable  to  And  any  satis- 
factory reason  assigned  for  the  abandonment  of  the  old  plaza.  The  probable 
cause  of  the  cbaugc  was  the  location  of  the  Church  of  our  Lady  of  the 
Angeis  on  its  present  site.  The  first  church  or  chapel  was  a  small  building, 
25*Jo  feet,  begun  in  1784,  and  completed  In  r789.  It  fronted  on  the  plaza. 
The  new  church  was  begun  in  1814.  By  order  of  Governor  Sola,  in  1818, 
the  site  was  changed  to  higher  ground — its  present  location.  The  building 
was  completed  in  iSjj — forly-one  years  after  the  founding  of  the  Pueblo. 
The  open  space  in  irontof  the  church  was  part  of  the  ejidos  or  commons,  and 
was  used  for  a  place  to  picket  mustangs  while  the  owtiers  were  attending 
church.    In  course  of  time  it  became  rts:ognized  as  the  plaza  or  public  square* 

Neve's  streets  that  were  to  be  free  from  the  swwp  of  the  winds,  have  dis- 
appeared. There  are  no  land  marks  to  show  the  location  of  the  twelve  house 
U>ls  that  clustered  around  the  old  plaza.  Nor  can  we  locate  the  boundaries 
of  any  one  of  the  twenty-seven  suertes  or  sowing  fields  that  were  laid  ofT  on 
the  alluvial  lands  below  the  plaza.  Time,  tlood,  and  the  hated  gringos  have 
long  since  obliterated  all  ancient  landm.irks  and  boundary  lines  of  the  old 
Pueblo  as  effectually  as  did  Neve's  pobladores  all  traces  of  the  Indian  town, 
Yangna,  tnat  once  stood  on  the  sice  chosen  lor  the  Pueblo  of  our  lady  of  the 
Angels. 

As  the  town  grew,  it  straggled  off  from  its  nucleus — the  old  plaza  in  an 
irregular  sort  of  a  way — without  definite  plot  or  plau.  When  a  house  was 
to  be  built  the  builder  selected  a  site  most  convenient  to  his  material— adobe. 
If  his  house  did  not  conforni  to  the  lines  of  the  street,  the  street  must  adjust 
jtself  to  the  house.  Fifty  years  after  the  founding  of  the  Pueblo  there  was 
■"•'1  off  street  within  its  limits.  Indeed  there  was  but  little  neces- 
re  were  no  wheeled  vehicles,  save  a  few   old   screaking 


THE  PLAJi  OF  OLD  LOS  AJfOELES, 


u 


The  pUza  is  a  an  essential  feature  in  the  plan  of  all  Spanish- American 
towns.  It  is  usually  the  geographical  center  of  the  puebin  lands.  The  old 
plaza  of  Kl  Pueblo  de  Nuestra  Sonora,  La  Rcina  dc  [<o<i  Angelt-s  (the  town  of 
our  Ladj.  the  Queen  of  the  Angels)  as  decreed  l)y  Gov.  Felipe  de  N'eve  in  his 
"Instruccion  para  La  Fundaccion  de  Los  Angeles,"  was  a  parallelogram  one 
hundred  raras  in  length  by  seventy-five  in  breadth.  It  was  laid  out  with  its 
corners  facing  the  four  winds  or  cardinal  points  of  the  compass,  and  with  its 
streets  running  at  right  angles  lo  each  of  its  four  sides,  so  thai  no  street 
would  be  swept  by  the  wind.  Two  streets,  each  ten  varas  wide,  opened  out 
on  the  longer  sides,  and  three  oo  each  of  the  shorter  sides.  U|>on  three  sides 
of  the  plata  were  the  house  lots  20x40  varas  each,  fronting  on  the  square. 
One  half  of  the  remaining  side  was  reserved  for  public  buildings — a  guard 
house,  a  town  house,  and  a  public  granary ;  the  other  half  was  an  open  space. 
Around  three  sides  of  the  old  plau  clustered  the  mud-daubed  huts  of  the  pio- 
neers of  I^s  Angeles,  and  around  the  embryo  town,  a  few  years  later,  was 
buiit  an  adobe  wall — not  so  much  perhaps  for  protection  from  foreign  invas- 
ion as  from  domestic  intrusion.  It  was  easier  lo  wall  in  the  town  than  to 
fence  in  the  cattle  and  the  goats  that  pastured  on  the  cjidos  or  commons,  out- 
side the  walls. 

The  area  of  a  pueblo,  under  Spanish  rule,  wa.s  four  «quare  leagues  of 
land,  or  about  17,770  acres,  (a  ^ipanish  league  contains  44-14  acres.)  The 
pueblo  l.inds  were  divided  itiio  solares  or  house  lots,  suertes  or  planting 
fields,  dehesas  or  outside  pasture  lands,  ejidos  or  commons — lands  nearest 
the  town  where  the  mustangs  were  tethered  and  the  goats  roamed  at  their 
pleasure ;  propios  —lands  rented  or  leased  from  which  a  revenue  was  raited 
to  pay  municipal  expenses  ;  realengas — royal  lands,  also  used  for  raiwng  reve- 
nue for  the  town  government. 

In  1786,  fire  years  after  the  founding  of  the  Pueblo  of  our  Lady  of  the 
Angels,  Alfercz  Jos6  Arguelio,  aided  by  corporal  Vicente  and  private  Roque, 
put  the  nine  settlers  who  had  been  faithful  to  their  trust,  in  possession  of  their 
house  lots  and  planting  fields.  Three  of  the  pobladores  originally  recruited 
to  found  the  pueblo  had  been  deported  for  general  worthlessness. 

Lieut.  Arguetlo  spent  but  little  time  over  surveys  and  probably  wt  up  no 
land-marks  to  define  boundaries.  The  proprioswere  said  to  extend  southerly 
i.joo  varas  from  the  dam  {which  was  located  near  the  point  where  the  Buena 
Vista  street  bridge  now  crosses  the  liver)  to  the  limit  of  the  distributed  lands. 
The  realengas  were  located  on  the  eastern  sideof  iheriver. 

The  boundariei  of  the  PIar.i  viejo  or  old  plaza,  as  nearly  as  it  is  possible 
to  locate  them  now,  areas  follows:  The  southeast  corner  of  the  plaza  would 
coincide  with  what  is  now  the  northeait  corner  of  Marchessault  and  Upper 
Main  streets.     P'rom  the  said  northeast  corner  of  these  streets  draw   a   line 


...  v- 


44  niSTORICALSOCIETY  OF SOUTHEEX CALIFORJt'IA. 

land  boundaries  were  of  rare  occurrence  and  title  deeds  when  given  were 
loosely  drawn.  The  more  or  le»s  in  a  cunveyance  never  worried  the  party 
of  the  second  parL  In  the  minutes  of  the  ayuotamiento  mny  be  found  the 
grant  of  a  certain  piece  of  land  now  linown  a»  the  Rcquena  tract  which  is 
described  and  deeded  as  that  lot  or  tract  on  which  the  "Cows  ate  ihe  apples/ 

On  the  3jid  of  May  1835,  Los  Angeles  ceased  to  be  a  Pueblo>.  The 
following  is  a  translation  of  the  copy  of  the  decree  erecting  it  into  a  c]ty: 

His  excellency,  the  president  ad  interim  of  the  United  Slates  of  Mexico 
Miguel  Barragan.  The  president  ad  interim  of  the  United  States  of  Mexico 
to  the  inhabitants  of  the  Republic  \tx  it  be  known:  That  thegeoeral  congress 
has  decreed  the  following:  That  the  town  of  Los  Angeles,  Upper  California, 
is  erected  to  a  city,  and  shall  be  for  the  future  the  capiul  of  that  territory. 

Basilo  ARttiLt.At;A,  Antonio  Pacueco  Leal, 

President  House  of  Deputies.  President  t<A  the  Senate. 

Demetrio  Dkl  CASTtLLO,  Manuel  Miranda, 

Secretary  House  of  Deputies.  Secretary  of  Ihe  Senate. 

I,  therefore,  order  it  to  be  printed  and  circulated  and  duly  complied. 
with.     Palace  of  the  Federal  Government  in  Mexico,  May  33,  1835. 

Miguel  Barracan. 

Although  the  Mexican  Congress  by  decree  had  creeled  Los  Angeles  to  a 
eity  yet  to  the  Californians  it  was  still  the  F*Dcblo.  Even  now  alter  sixty  years 
of  city  life,  to  the  old  time  native  Caltfornian  it  is  still  the  "Pueblo."  Tbe 
decree  made  il  a  city  but  it  was  ten  years  after,  befi>rc  it  became  the  capital. 
The  citizens  failed  to  provide  suitable  buildings  and  ibe  denizens  of  Monterey 
elnng  to  the  archives.  The  "Ciudad  de  I,«s  .Angeles"  was  a  city  of  magnifi- 
cent distances  when  it  first  took  on  metropolitan  airs.  The  Departmental 
Assembly  of  1834  designated  the  boundaries  of  the  Pueblo  of  Los  .\ngeles  to 
be  "two  leagues  to  each  wind  from  the  center  of  the  Plana."  This  gave  the 
Pueblo,  when  it  was  "erected  into  a  city,"  an  arf.i  of  sixteen  square  leagues 
or  over  one  hundred  square  miles.  I'hfrc  was  no  survey  of  boundary  lines, 
and  the  city  fathers  worried  along  ten  years  without  knowint;  exactly  where 
the  city  ended  and  the  country  began.  In  rS46,  an  attempt  was  made  to  fix 
the  boundaries  but  all  that  was  done  was  to  measure  two  Leagues  "in  the  direc- 
tion of  the  four  winds  from  the  Plaza  church"  and  set  stakes  as  boundary 
tines.     Then  came  the  American  invaders. 

At  the  time  of  the  American  occupation  {1S46),  the  city  had  skirted 
along  the  foothills  as  far  down  as  First  (or  Primcro)  street  with  possibly  a 
few  Gcatiering  houses  below  that  point. 

The  discovery  of  gold  and  the  rush  of  immigration  to  the  mines  aroused 
the  sleepy  old  "ciudad^  of  Los  Angeles  from  its  bucolic  dreams.  A  stream 
o(  immigration,  by  the  southern  route,  poured  through  its  streets   and  gold 


TBE  FLAX 


OLD  LOS  JJfOELES. 


4S 


flowed  into  its  coffurs  from  the  sale  of  the  cattle  that  covered  the  plains  be- 
yond. With  increasing  pros]>ertty  tho  city  became  ambitious  to  make  a  bet- 
tei  appearance-  The  nyuntamieiito  decided  to  have  a  porlioo  of  the  mesa 
lying  tu  the  south  of  Calle  Hrimero  and  west  of  Calle  Principal  surveyed  and 
subdivided  into  city  lots  and  sold  to  procure  a  fund  to  make  some  needed 
improvements. 

In  the  city  clerk's  office  is  a  copy  of  a  map  of  the  first  sibdi vision  of  Los 
Angeles  city  lands  made  af:er  the  Amencan  occupation.  It  is  entitled, 
"Plan  de  la  Ciiidad  de  Los  Angeles,  by  E.  O,  C.  Ord,  Lt.  U.  &.  A.,  \Vm.  R. 
Hutton,  Asst.,  August  29,  1849."  Ord's  survey  embraces  all  that  portion  of 
the  city  bounded  north  by  First  street  and  the  base  of  the  first  line  of  hills, 
east  by  Main  street,  south  by  Twelflh  street  and  west  by  Pearl  street  Also 
thai  portion  of  the  city  north  of  Short  street  afd  west  of  Upper  Main  to  the 
base  of  the  liilU.  On  the  "plan"  the  lands  between  Main  street  and  the  river 
arc  designated  as  "plough  grounds,  i;ardcn5,  com  and  vine  lands/'  T^e 
streets  in  the  older  portion  of  the  city  are  marked  but  not  named.  The  blocks, 
except  the  first  tier,  are  600  feet  in  length,  and  are  divided  into  ten  lots  each 
1  zo   fret  front    by    1 65  feet  in  depth. 

Ord  took  his  compass  course  fitr  the  line  of  Main  street  S.  24°  45*  W. 
from  the  corner  opposite  Josfl  AnionioCarriUo's  house  which  stood  where  the 
Pico  House  now  stands.  This  lot  was  granted  Carrillo  by  the  Comission- 
ado  in  1 8?  t  and  is  one  of  the  earlier  transfers  of  which  there  is  any  record 
On  Ord's  map.  Main,  Spring  and  Fort  {Broadway)  streets  ran  in  parallel 
dtrai^ht  lines  to  Twelfth  street.  How  Main  street  carac  to  zigzag  below 
Sixth  street,  Spring  to  disappear  at  Ninth  street,  and  Fort  to  ignominiously 
end  in  Governor  Downey's  orange  urchard,  (subdivided  in  1884),  are  things 
that  as  Lord  Dundreary  says,  "No  fellow  can  find  out."  Ord  probably  made 
an  accurate  survey  but  many  of  the  blocks  now  are  irregular,  some  contain 
on  excess  and  others  are  short  and  some  of  the  streets  ha%-e  drifted  away 
from  their  original  locations.  This,  in  part,  ia  due  to  the  easy  going  meth- 
ods of  those  early  days.  The  ayuntamiento  was  to  have  placed  permanent 
monuments  to  mark  the  corners  of  blocks,  but  neglected  to  do  so.  The 
comer  stakes  were  convenient  for  picketing  mustangs  and  were  rapidly  disap- 
pearing. The  Council,  a  year  or  so  after  the  survey  was  made,  gave  Juan 
Temple  a  contract  to  place  stone  monuments  to  mark  the  corners.  He  hired 
a  gang  of  Mexicans  to  do  the  work.  If  they  found  a  earner  stake  they  placed 
a  monument;  if  not,  some  one  of  the  ^ng  paced  off  the  length  of  the  block 
and  set  the  corner  stone.  The  excess  in  some  blocks  and  the  shortage  in 
others  might  be  accounted  for  if  we  could  find  out  whether  it  was  a  tong-1^- 
ged  or  a  short-legged    patsano  that  did  the  stepping.       The  price  of  Ord 


4e  HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  CALIFORXIA. 

survey  lots  on  Spring  street    in  the  fall  of '49  and  spring  of  '50    ranged  from 
$'5  to  $50  each. 

The  names  of  the  streets  on  Ord's  plan  ate  given  in  both  Spnnlih  and 
English;  beginning  with  Main  ihey  are  .is  fillows :  Calle  Principal — Main 
street ;  Calle  Primavera^Spring  street,  named  for  the  season  spring 
Calle  Foitin — Fort  street ;  Calle  Loma^Hil!  street ;  Calle  Accytuna — Olive 
street ;  Calle  de  \a:  Caridad — The  Street  of  Charity  (now  Grand  avenue)- 
Calle  de  Las  Ksperanzas — The  Street  of  Hopes ;  Calle  de  Lffs  Flores— The 
Street  of  Flowers ;  Calle  dc  Ixis  Chapules— The  Street  of  Grasshoppers  (now 
Pearl  street).  North  of  the  plaza  churrh  the  north  and  south  streets  were 
the  Calle  de  F-tcrnidad—  Eternity  street,  so  named  bemuse  it  had  neither 
beginning  nor  end,  or,  rather,  earh  end  terminated  in  the  hills.  Calle  ^el 
Toro  — Bull  street,  significant  of  the  national  pastime  of  Spaiu  and  Mexico^ 
the  bull  fight.  Calle  de  l^s  A»sj)as— Hornet  street;  an  exceedingly  lively 
street  al  times  when  the  hornets  had  business  engagements  with  the 
pais-inos.  Calle  de  Las  Adobes — Adobe  street,  well  named.  The  east 
and  west  streets  were  Calle  Corta— Short  street ;  Calle  Alta — 
High  street ;  Calle  de  Las  Virj^ines^Slrcct  of  Virgins  ;  Calle  del  Colegio 
— College  street,  the  only    street  that  retains  its  primitive  name. 

The  Calle  de  Las  Chapulci  wac  for  many  years  the  extreme  western 
street  of  tlis  city.  The  name  originated  thus:  On  certain  years,  mostly 
during  the  dry  or  drouth  years,  myriads  of  grasshuppers  hatched  on  the 
low  grassy  plains  of  the  Ballona  and  Cienegns.  When  they  had  de- 
voured all  vq^ctation  where  they  originated,  they  took  flight,  and,  flying 
with  the  wind,  moved  in  great  clouds  towards  the  «ast — Ulcc  the  locusts 
of  Egypt,  devouring  everything  in  their  coursj;.  When  the  destroying 
busts  reached  the  Calle  de  Las  Chapules,  the  vinat'>ro  knew  his  grape 
crop  for  ihat  season  was  doomed.  The  vuracious  hopper  would  not  leave  a 
green  leaf  on  his  vines,  and  the  vineyardist  considered  himself  fortunate  if 
the  destroying  host  did  not  devour  the  bark  as  well  as  the  leaves. 

Calle  Pritnavera — Spring  street,  sixty  or  seventy  years  ago  was  known 
as  the  Calle  de  La:;  Caridad — the  Street  of  Charity.  The  aristocratic  part 
of  the  city  in  lho»e  days  was  in  the  ncighborho<»d  of  the  plaia,  and  on 
Upper  Main  street.  Spring  street  being  well  out  in  the  suburbs,  its  in* 
habitants  were  mostly  peons  and  Mexicans  of  the  poorer  class,  who  were  de- 
pendent largely  upon  the  charity  of  their  wealthier  neighbors.  There  is  a 
tradition,  which  I  have  not  been  able  to  verify  by  written  record,  that  back 
about  the  beginning  of  the  century,  Spring  street  was  known  as  Calle  Cui- 
dado — Lookout  or  Beware  street,  so-called  because  of  the  numerous  washes 
snd  gulches  cutting  across  it  from  the  low  foothills.     The  name  would  be 


THS  PLAX  OF  OLD  LOS  JXGKLES. 


appropriate  now,  but  it  would  be  for  other  reasoDs. 

Main  street  below  the  junction,  about  that  time  wa«  known  ns  Calle  dc 
Las  AUegria— Junction  street.  The  quc5ti:.n  is  often  asked  why  was  Spring 
swung  oA*  on  a  diagonal  to  form  a  junction  with  Main?  The  historical 
facts  of  the  case  aie  that  Main  street  forms  a  junction  wiih  Spiing,  That 
portion  of  Spring  street  between  the  junction  and  first,  is  the  older  street  by 
many  years.  It  is  part  of  an  old  road  made  mor«  than  a  centur)'  a^ 
It  licgan  at  the  old  placK  and  followed  the  present  line  of  Main  street  to  the 
junction.  In  Ord's  "plan,"  this  old  road  is  traced  from  the  junction 
north-westward.  It  follows  the  present  line  ot  Spring  street  to 
First  street,  then  crosses  b!ock«  2  and  4,  diagonally,  to  the  corner  erf  Third 
and  Hroadway.  It  intersects  Hill  at  Fourth  street  and  Olive  at  Fifth  street, 
skirting  the  hills  it  passes  out  of  the  ciiy  near  Ninth  street  to  the  brca 
sprinj^s  from  which  the  colonists  obtained  (he  roofing  material  for  their  adobe 
houses.  This  load  or  street  was  used  for  many  years  after  the  American  oc- 
cupation,  and  was  recognized  as  a  street  in  conveyances.  Within  the  past 
three  years  the  city  council  gave  a  (juit-cluim  deed  to  a  portion  of  this  street 
to  a  lot  owner  in  Block  11^^  O.  S.  It  has  been,  by  some  poetical  histori->- 
graphers,  claimed  that  this  road  was  part  of  the  Camin<»  del  Key,  (the  King's 
highway]  of  the oldcn  times.  "The  Ring's  horses  and  the  King's  men"  may 
have  gaUopud  over  it  bearing  ruyal  mandates  Irom  pueblo  10  presidio,  but 
creaking  carrctas,  loaded  with  brea,  were  more  common  than  the  King's 
caballetos  on  tliis  "royal  ruad."  On  a  map  of  the  pueblo  of  Los  Angi^es, 
made  in  1786,  when  Ar^uellu  surveyed  the  lands  of  the  founders,  there  is  a 
road  marked  as  beginning  at  the  southeast  corner  of  the  old  plaza,  from 
thence  running  southeasterly  until  it  intersects  what  is  now  Aliso  street; 
thence  following  the  present  line  uf  that  street  it  crosses  the  river  nod  passei 
out  of  the  pueblo  to  the  southeast.  There  are  traces  of  this  road  in  the  old 
records.  It  leads  southeastward  through  the  Paso  de  Bartolo,  thence  to  San 
Juan  Capistrano  and  San  Luis  Rey,  in  San  Diego ;  then  down  the  coos;  of 
T>ower  California  to  T^oreto,  near  Cajie  San  Lucas.  This,  in  the  days  of 
King  Carlos  III,  was  the  Camino  del  Rey,  or  Caminoreal.  It  was  not  like 
"the  road  from  Winchester  town,  a  good  broad  highway  leading  down,"  but 
rather  a  camino  de  herradura — a  bridle  path.  Wheeled  vehicles  seldom 
traveled  it.  .Mthough  but  the  semblance  of  a  road,  yet  time  and  again  has 
this  old  highway  echoed  the  tread  of  marching  armies.  In  the  troublous 
times  of  i83i-3,  when  Rcheandia  of  the  south  and  Zlamarano  of  trie  north 
waged  a  bloodless  warfare  against  each  other  and  fired  o7  sesquipedalian  pro 
nunctamientos  as  ferocious  in  the  rhetoric  as  they  were  harmless  in  effect, 
down  this  old  camino  Irom  Paso  dc  Bariolo  rode  Echeandia's  faithful  ad- 
herent, Captain  Barroso,  at  the  head  of  a  thousand  mounted  Indians  inteat 


4S  HISTOItlCAL  SOCIETY  OFSOVTEERJ^"  CALIFOliXIA. 

on  the  capture  of  the  recalcitrant  Pueblo  of  Angeles,  but  at  the  intercession 
of  the  beleaguered  inhabitants,  this  modem  Corilanus  turned  aside  to  regale 
his  neophyte  retainers  on  the  fat  bullocks  of  the  San  Gabriel  Missioa.  And 
via  the  Cainino  real  from  Los  Nictos  rode  Juan  Gallardo,  the  cobbler,  in  com- 
mand  of  his  fifty  Sonoran  patriot<;,  when,  in  imitation  of  the  hidalgos  of  his 
native  land,  he  essayed  to  play  at  the  national  game  of  Mexico — revolution. 
And  by  the  same  highway,  he  entered  the  pueblo  in  the  small  hours  of  the 
morning,  and  awoke  its  conscript  fathers  from  their  droams  of  peace  by  the 
drum  beat  of  wv.  And  along  the  same  Camino  real,  from  Paso  de  Bartolo, 
marched  the  saxon  conqueror,  Stockton,  with  his  invading  army.  On  this 
roadway  was  fought  the  last  battles  of  the  conquest,  wheu  the  boom  of  Stock- 
ton's cannon  sounded  the  death  knell  of  Mexican  domination  in  California. 

Going  northward  the  Camino  real,  or  main  highway,  crossed  the  river 
near  the  base  of  the  hilts  and  followed  up  its  valley  to  the  Mission  San  Fer- 
nando ;  from  there  westedy  to  San  Huncnaventura,  then  nn  to  Santa  Barbara 
and  the  missions  beyond,  to  Monterey.  In  the  waning  years  of  the  last  cen- 
tury out  from  the  capital,  Monterey,  on  the  first  day  of  each  month,  rode  a 
courier  southward,  gathering  from  each  mission,  pueblo  :ind  presidio  its  little 
budget  of  mail  as  he  made  his  monthly  trip  to  Loreto  on  the  Gulf — a  perilous 
ride  of  a  thousand  miles  over  the  old  Camino  del  Key. 

There  was  one  street  in  the  older  portion  of  Los  Angeles  that  Js  not 
named  in  Ord's  plan,  but  which,  in  the  flush  days  of  gold  mininR  from  1850 
to  '55,  had  a  more  wide-spread  notoriety  than  any  other  street  in  the  city. 
It  was  the  Calle  de  Los  Negros  in  Spanish,  but  Americanized  into  Niftgeri 
alley.  It  was  a  short  and  narrow  street  extending  from  tne  then  terminatioo 
of  Los  Angeles  street  to  the  plasa.  la  length  it  did  not  exceed  500  fceL 
Yet  within  its  limited  extent  it  enclosed  more  wickedness  and  crime  than  any 
similar  area  on  the  face  of  the  earth.  Gambling  dens,  saloons,  dance  houses, 
and  disreputable  dives  lined  either  side.  From  morning  to  night,  and  from 
night  to  morning,  a  motley  throng  of  .\mcricans,  Mexicans,  Indians  and  for- 
eigners of  nearly  every  nation  and  tongue  crowded  and  jostled  one  another  in 
its  dens  and  dives.  They  gambled,  they  drank,  the>*  iiuarreled,  they  fought, 
and  some  of  them  died — not  fi>r  their  country — although  the  country  was^ 
benefitted  by  their  death.  In  the  early  '508  there  were  more  desperadoes,  out- 
taws  and  cut-throats  in  Los  Angeles  than  in  any  other  city  on  the  coast.  In 
the  year  1853  the  violent  deaths  from  fights  and  assassinations  averaged  over 
one  a  day.  The  Calle  de  Los  Ncgros  was  the  central  point  towards  which 
the  lawlessness  of  the  city  converged,  It  was,  in  its  prime,  the  wickedest 
street  on  earth.  With  the  decadence  of  gold  minin;;  the  character  of  the 
street  changed,  but  its  morals  were  not  improved  by  the  change.  It  ceased 
to  be  the  rendeivous  of  the  gambler  and  the  desperado  and  became  the  center 
of  the  Chinese  quarter  of  the  city.     Eten  in   its  decadence  its   murderous 


THE  PLAX  OF  OLD  LOS  J^''0£LJSS. 


49 


character  clung  10  it.  On  this  street  in  1871  logk  place  that  terrible  tragedy 
bnown  25  the  Chinese  Massacre,  when  eighteen  Chinamen  and  one  white 
man  were  murdereii.  'I'he  extension  of  Los  Angeles  street  obliterated  It  frotD 
the  plan  of  the  city. 

When  the  United  States  Land  Comtnission,  in  ■  85 1 ,  began  its  herculean 
task  of  adjudicating  the  Mcxtoin  land  grants  in  California,  the  city  of  Los 
Angeles  laid  claim  to  sixteen  stjuare  leagues  of  land.  The  Hancock  survey 
ot  1853,  had  divided  the  city  lands  south  of  Pico  streei,  to  the  Ranchos  Los 
Cuervos  (Crow  Rancho)  and  the  Paso  dc  1^  Tijcra,  and  on  the  west  to  the 
La  Cienega,  into  35  acre  tracts  known  as  city  donmion  lots.  The  city  limits 
on  the  south,  (west  of  the  river)  extended  nearly  three  miles  below  the  present 
boundary  lir>e  of  the  cily,  and  en  the  west  nearly  two  miles,to  the  Cienega,  All 
the  territory  sought  to  be  annexed  to  the  city  ai  the  recent  election  was  once 
within  the  city  limitn.  The  strcetis  south  of  Pico,  were  named  after  the 
presidents.  Beginning  with  Washington,  in  regular  succession  followed, 
Adams,  Jefferson,  Madison,  Monroe,  John  Qiiincy  Adamsand  Jackson  streets. 
All  these  streets,  except  ;»artsof  the  fir*t  three,  have  long  since  disapjtcared  in 
the  orange  gioves  of  Vcmon  and  the  market  gardcn5  of  University  and  Rose- 
dale.     The  Mexican    governors,  after  whom  the  north  and  south  streets  were 

med,  have  been  more  fortunate  than  ihc  presidents.  We  still  have  Echean- 
dia,  Figueroa,  .\lvaradu  and  Michelioreno  street^  although  considerably  cur- 
tailed as  to  length  South  of  Buyle  HeighU  and  east  of  the  river,  the  Ro.  San 
Antonio  curbed  the  city's  ambition  to  expand  in  that  direction.  On  the 
north  and  north-west  the  Ro.  Los  Feliz  and  the  Verdugos  encroached 
on  the  city's  area    and  the  hostile    owners    refused    to  be    surveyed     into 

e  city.  Oil  the  cz'-t,  from  the  center  of  the  plaia  it  was  two  leagues  to 
the  city  line.  The  arci  of  the  city  according  to  the  Hancock  (or  Hansen) 
survey  of  1855,  was  a  fraction  lesi  than  5o:square  miles — a  magnificent  city  on 
paper.  'ITie  land  commission  in  1856,  cunfirmed  lo  the  city  a  grant  of  four 
square  leagues  (about  ^S  square  miles)  and  rejected  its  claim  to  all  outside 
of  that.  After  many  delays,  in  1875,  nearly  twenty  years  later,  »  United 
States  patent  was  issued  to  the  mayor  and  council — and  then  the  (;reater  Los 
Angeles  of  the  early  50's,  shrank  to  the  proportions  of  t-'elipe  de  Neve's 
Pueblo  of  1781,  —"one  league  to  each  wind  measured  from  the  center  of  the 
plata." 

It  was  not  to  be  exi>ectcd  that  Neve's  eai^e  loving  pobladores  would  long 
preserve  in  its  entirety  the  musical  but  l'>ngdrawn  out  name  of  the  new  boin 
town  by  the  Rio  Forciuncula,  El  Put:blo  de  Nuesira  Suiiora,  la  Reina   de  Los 

□gelcs,  was  inconveniently  syllabic  for  every  day  use;  in  i;8;  it  bad  been 
abbreviated  aod  changed  to  Santa  Maria  dc  Los  Angela,  later  un  to  Santa 
Mariju  It  was  at  one  uuie  proposed  to  change  the  name  to  Villa  Victoria 
la  Reina  de  Los  Angeles  so  that  it  might  n  A  be  confounded  with   Puebla  in 


50  HISTORICAL  SOCIEXr  OFSOVTHSSX CALIFOMJflA., 


old  Mexico.     In  the  tumultuous  days  of  '39  when  the  scdittouB  and  turbulent 
angelenos  vexed  the  righteous  soul  of  good  old  prefect.  Cosine  PcA.i,   he  was 
wont  to  speak  of  it  as  the  Pueblo  de  Los  Dlablus— the  town   n(  the  devils. 
Id  official  documents,  under  Mexican  rule,  it  was  simply  An>;eles.     It  is   to  M 
be  rej^ietted  that  the  Americans  after  the  conquest  did  not  continue  the  custom  V 
and  thus  save  iX}sterity  the  necessity  of  speaking  and  writing  the  prefix  "I<os." 
In  almost  every  "write  ap"  of  the  early  history  of  Los  Angeles  appears 
this    venerable    fiction  "The  fouudert*  of  the   town  numbered  twelve  adult  _ 
males,  all  heads  of  families."  '"There  were  forty-six  persons  in  all."  "The  men.fl 
were  discharged  soldiers  from  the  Mission  San   Gabriel."    This  fiction    has 
not  that  merit  of  the  old  time  novel!),  "founded  on  facts."  It  is  all  fiction. 
There  were   not   twelve   founders — Rivera  enlisted  fourteen  pobladorcs  in 
Sonora  and  Sinaloa,  two  deserted,  one  was  left  behind    at  Lorcto  *  in  Ix>wer 
California  and  then  there  were  only  eleven.     There  was  not  forty-six  persons 
in  all — only  forty-four.     Not  a  man  of  the  eleven  was  a  discharged  soldier 
from  San  Gabriel.     None  of  them  bad  ever  been  at  San    Gabriel    until    they 
arrived  with  Zufliga's  expedition  on  the  18th  of  August   preceding  the  found- 
ing. Of  the  twenty-two  adults,  two  were  Spaniards,  nine  were  Indians  and  one 
mestito  {one  was  classed  as  a  coyote — wild  Indian)  and  ten  were  ncgtocs  and 
mulattoes.     Early  in  i;82,  ibrce  of  the  founders,  one  of  the  Spaniard;  and  two 
of  the  negroes  were  de|X>rted  from  the   colony  for  genewl    worthlessness  and 
their  property  Taken  from    them,  and   then    there    were   bu^    eight  founders. 
In  1785,  Sinova  who  bad  been  a  laborer  in  California  for  several  years,  joined 
the  rolony  making  nine  heads  of  families,  ihe  number  to  whom    .\rguello  dis- 
tributed the  house  lots  and  the  sowing  fields  in  1786.     The  founders  left    no 
lasting  impress  on  the  town.     Not  a  street  in  the  city  bears    (lie  name  of  any  _ 
one  of  them.     Five  ol'  the  Mexican  governors  have  had    streets    named  after  ■ 
them,  but  not  one  of  the  Spanish  governors  of  Califurnia  has  been  $0  honored. 
No  street  or  landmark  bears  the  name  of  good    old    Felipe  dc  Neve,  the   real  _ 
founder  of    Los  Angeles.     Nor  have  I'ortola,  Faues,  or  Burica,  men  of  honor  ^ 
and  high  standing  been  remembered  in    the  nomenclature  of    its  highways. 
Of  the  old  Pueblo  dc  Nuestra  Sw.-^ta,  La  Reyna  de  Los  Angeles,  so  carefully  ^ 
planned  and  so  reverently  named  by  Governor  Fetipe  de  Neve  only  an  abbre-  I 
viation  J  of  the  name  remains,  and  even  the  significaiion  that  that  conveyed  10 
the  good  old  governor  has  been  changed  by  the  modern  dwellers  in    the   new 
city  of  The  Angcts. 


I 
I 


*    There  ia  do  evidence  that  he  ever  joined  the  cotanbls  at  l/M  .\tigeles. 
4     I.OS  AqkcIcs. 


THE  RECENT  ORIGIN  OF  flAN. 


BV  &rU>HEN  BOWERS,  A.  M.,  PH.  D. 


Recently  the  newspapers  contained  an  account  of  the  discovery  of  s 
skeleton  in  Colorado,  by  a  Columbian  college  prufeuor,  which  be  was  pleased 
to  call  the  "missing  link"  between  man  and  the  apes.  He  gave  this  remarka- 
ble creatuie  an  .-)nU()uity  of  a  million  and  a  half  of  years.  The  friable  bones 
were  caiefully  wrapped  in  cotton  and  shipped  east  But  scarcely  bad  the 
learned  professor  gotten  away  with  hix  prize  when  certain  cow-boys  came  for- 
ward and  claimed  the  bones  to  be  that  of  a  pet  monkey  which  they  buried  but 
a  dozen  years  previously. 

A  few  years  a^o  the  newspaper!  contained  an  account  of  the  discovery 
of  a  human  skull  in  the  Carboniferous  limestone  of  southern  Kansas,  by  a 
teacher  in  the  Osage  Nfisslon  of  tltat  Slate.  This  was  taking  our  race  farther 
back  into  the  misty  past  than  the  most  sanguine  believer  In  a  high  antiquity 
or  man  darefl  to  hoiic.  But  like  the  well  known  story  of  the  fossil  man 
found  in  the  CKningcn  quarries,  who  under  the  magic  touch  of  true  science 
proved  to  be  but  a  lossil  salamander,  so  this  skull  was  pronounced  by  one  of 
Our  savants  lo  be  but  the  body-whorl  of  a  large  cephatopod  shell  allied  to  the 
goniatites,  and  that  which  was  found  in  the  some  spot  and  supposed  lo  be 
portions  of  a  "petrified  haystack,"  were  fragments  of  some  kind  of  sli^ 

The  proof  upon  which  the  theory  of  pre  Adamite  man  professes  to  reit 
is  the  trace  of  man's  presence  in  the  spots  which  he  inhabited,  and  the  soil 
upon  which  he  walked.  It  is  claimed  that  however  savage  he  may  have  been 
he  must  have  had  some  kinds  of  weapons  of  defense,  and  for  procuring  food, 
and  that  he  must  have  left  some  scraps  of  clothing  and  some  vestiges  of  his 
industrj-.  We  are  also  referred  to  "human  bones  buried  In  the  earth  and  pre- 
served by  the  means  of  the  deposits  of  calcareous  salts  which  have  fossilized 
them;  the  Intermixture  of  these  bones  with  those  of  extiiKt  animals,  and 
that  in  geologic  jKrriods  anterior  lo  the  present."  Special  appeal  is  made  to 
certain  ancient  habitations  in  Europe,  kitchen  middens  or  "refuse  heaps'' in 
Kurope  and  America,  the  deltas  of  the  Mississippi,  Nile,  Fo,  Ganges,  etc.;  cave 
deposits,  and  human  remains  found  in  peat  clay  and  in  gravel  beds,  and  in 
terraces  in  various  portions  of  the  globe. 

Concerning  the  divisions  of  the  periods  of  "pre-historic  man,"  archa;olo- 
g^sts  differ.  Perhaps  that  of  I.artet  finds  most  favor  amongst  the  advocates  of  a 


'  Se  niSTORTCAL  SOCIETI'  OFSOUTTtF.Ii.r  CJUFORmA. 


remote  antiquity  Tor  man.  He  divides  it  inio  two  general  periods,  viz:  TTie 
stone  aj-e,  and  (he  mttal  age.  The  fust  he  divide*  into  three  epochs,  i- 
That  of  the  extinct  animals,  such  as  the  mammoth  and  the  cave  bear;  a. 
That  gf  tiie  existing;  migrating  animals,  which  he  calls  the  reindeer  epoch; 
3.  That  of  the  present  existing  domestic  animals,  which  he  denominates 
the  jwlished  stone  epoch.  The  second  age  he  divides  into  two  epochs;  i. 
Brontei  a.     Iron. 

We  shall  also  find  great  diversity  concerning  the  meaning  of  "pre-hiatoric 
limes."  Sir  Charles  Lyell  says:  The  first  Olynspiad  "is  generally  regarded 
as  ihe  earliest  date  upon  which  we  can  rely  in  the  past  anuats  of  mankind, 
about  776  years  before  the  Christian  era."  Why  this  date  is  to  lie  accepted 
and  that  of  the  birth  of  .Moses,  the  hegira  from  Egypt  or  the  building  of  King 
Solomon's  temple  are  ignored,  thb  eminent  geologist  fails  to  tell  us.  Mr. 
Lubbock  styles  his  book  "Prc-historic  Times,"  but  docs  not  define  the  mean- 
ing he  attaches  to  the  term.  He  refers  to  Hesiod  and  s|icalc5  of  Usher's 
t  hronology.  "He  professes  to  write  ab"ut  'pre-historic  times,'  says  the  Lon- 
don t^>usrterly  Revicw,"and  gives  us  an  elaborate  dissertation  about  unhistoric 
time*."  Fi^uier  piticcs  the  creation  of  man  at  an  indefinite  period  in  the  past> 
He  tries  to  reconcile  his  theory  with  the  Bible  as  foliows:  **It  was  thought 
that  the  OM  Testameitt  stated  that  man  was  created  6,000  years  ago.  Now 
the  fact  i^  nothing  of  the  kind  can  be  found  in  ttie  book  of  Genesis.  It  is 
only  the  compilers  of  chronological  systems,  and  the  commentators  who  have 
put  forward  this  dnte  as  that  of  the  fust  appearance  of  the  human  race."  Lartet 
holds  similar  views.  "In  Genesis,"  he  i^ays,  "no  date  can  be  found  which 
sets  a  limit  to  the  time  when  primitive  mankind  may  have  made  its  appear- 
ance.'' He  then  says  that  chronologists  have  differed  more  than  3,000  years 
in  their  calculations  of  the  time  beiwern  the  creation  of  AHam  and  the  hinh 
of  Christ.  Baron  Bunson  ignonng  Hebrc#  ctiionology  claims  an  antiquity 
for  the  human  race  of  20,000  years. 

Baldwin,  in  bis  Ancient  America,  says:  "Archasology  and  linguistic  science, 
not  to  speak  here  of  geology,  iiiakea  it  certain  that  the  period  between  the 
beginning  of  the  human  race  and  the  birth  of  Christ  would  be  more  accuf. 
alely  stated  if  the  centuries  counted  in  the  longest  estimates  of  the  Rabbini- 
cal chronologists  should  be  chanfjed  to  mitlenntuma."  Foster  says  in  his  Vre- 
hisloric  Races,  "that  man  lived  at  a  time  far  too  remote  to  be  embraced  iti 
our  system  of  chronology,  surrounded  by  great  quadrupeds  which  have  ceased 
to  exist,  and  under  a  climate  very  dilfeienl  from  what  new  prevails,  has  been 
Eo  clearly  demonstrated  that  the  fact  must  now  be  accepted  as  a  scientific 
truth.  Revelations  30  startling  have  been  received  with  disquietude  and 
distrust  by  those  who  adhere  to  the  chronology  of  Usher  and  Tetavious.  *  * 
Id  tracing  back  the  antiquity  of  man  to  the  earliest  monuments  that  indicate 


I 


TBE  liECE.rT  oniaix  of  max. 


vs 


his  presence  on  the  earth,  the  historic  period    forms   but   an    inconsiderable 
part  in  the  great  cycle  of  events." 

While  quoiattons  of  this  kind  might  be  extended  much  further,  thoK  al- 
ready quoted  will  .-inswer  our  purpose.  They  show  us  that  sticntisti  are  Dot 
agreed  among  thcinselTC«  as  to  what  is  historic  and  what    it   prehistoric 

Some  aichxologists  claim  for  man  an  antiquity  reaching  back  in  geologic 
lime  to  the  Pliocene  period;  but  I  hesitate  not  to  say  that  facts  do  not  war- 
rant the  conchiiion.  Concerning  the  now  ramous  skull  found  in  Calaveras 
county,  in  this  State,  which  Prof.  Whitney  cliiims  was  procured  at  the  bottom 
of  a  shaft  150  feet  deep,  under  five  beds  of  lava  and  volcanic  tufa  and  foui 
bcdi>  of  auiiferous  gravel,  "if  authenlicalcd"  says  Dr.  Foster,  "will  carry  us 
back  to  Pliocene  times."  But  it  has  not  been  authenticated  in  the  interests  ot 
high  antiquity,  nor  can  it  be.  1  made  a  somewhat  thorough  investigation  of 
this  professed  find,  and  am  convinced  that  it  was  a  trick  practiced  by  several 
miners  to  deceive  Prof.  Whitney,  whom  they  disliked  becauseof  his  unwilling- 
ness to  receive  information  from  them,  and  bis  oflTensive  reserve  in  th«r 
presence!  This  skull,  with  many  others,  was  found  near  the  surface  in  an 
old  Indian  rancheria,  and  was  let  down  the  shaft  by  the  indignant  miners,  and 
covered  with  earth  and  gravel  at  the  bottom,  after  which  they  brought  it  up 
and  presented  it  to  Mr.  Whitney  who  was  in  the  neighborhood.  The  whole 
thing  was  intended  as  a  clever  deception.  This  professed  find  is  quoted  by 
t'rench  and  English  savants  to  establish  man's  lon^  residence  upon  the  earth. 

The  London  Quarterly  Review  says  of  the  jawljonc  found  in  the 
gravel  pits  of  Picardy  by  Boucher  de  Pcrclies,  which  so  greatly  exercised 
French  savants,  also  the  human  skeletons  which  were  found  in  the  cave  of 
AurignBC,  but  which  were  never  seen  by  the  Flnjilish  scientists,  tnai  they  with 
many  others  were  impositions  of  shrewd  workmen.  To  these  wc  may  add 
the  "holy  stone"  of  Newark,  and  the  "inscribed  stone"'  from  Gravel  Creek 
Mound,  Va.,  and  other  professed  finds  over  which  a  vast  amount  of  archico- 
logical  learning  has  been  expended. 

Science  is  continually  adding  facts  which  greaity  reduce  the  estimated 
years  of  geology.  Mr.  Lyell,  after  a  somewhat  careful  examination  of  the 
delta  of  the  Mississippi,  estimated  its  formation  to  have  required  about  100,- 
000  years,  thus  pushing  the  human  remains  lound  therein  into  a  remote  an- 
tiquity.  But  our  government  survey,  by  careful  measurement,  found  that  it 
advances  into  the  gulf  of  Mexico  at  the  rale  of  262  feet  in  a  year,  at  which 
rate  it  has  required  Utile  more  than  4,000  years  in  forming  the  whole.  Several 
years  ago  a  human  skeleton  was  found  near  New  Orleans  at  considerable  dis- 
tance from  the  river  and  buried  sixteen  feet  below  the  surface.  Drs.  Nott  and 
Dowler,  and  Mr.  Gliddon  decided  that  it  belonged  to  the  "aboriginal  American" 
race,  and  from  the  strata  of  sand  and  earth  that  had  formed  over  the  skeleton 
they  concluded  that  it  had  lain  in  that  spot  nearly  60,000  years.     But  near 


by    wi<  round  th«  j^unwalc  of   a  natboal,  and  the  iikeleton  was    that 
unfoitnnatc  flatboatman  neither  of  which  haU  lain  there  300  years. 

Mr.  Lyell,  ind  others,  estimated  the  growth  of  certain  peat  beds  in  which 
stone  implements  have  been  found,  to  be  so  slow  thut  at  least  >o,ooo  yeari 
must  have  elapsed  since  these  works  of  art  were  deposited.  But  in  these 
same  beds  the  upright  stalks  of  hazel  and  native  alder  are  found,  showing 
that  the  peat  formed  over  and  around  them  in  the  space  of  a  few  years  instead 
of  unnumbered  centuries.  The  Earl  of  Cromartie  records  an  instance  ot  a 
dead  forest,  standing  at  the  base  of  a  high  hill,  near  the  seashore,  in  1651* 
which  belore  th?  close  of  the  century  had  fallen  and  was  turned  into  pem] 
This  Dccured  in  a  single  lifetime. 

The  "Sione  Age"  is  divided  by  some  archaeologists  into  "PaleoUthic" 
(oldslone^  and  'Neolithic"  (new  stone.)  In  the  first  1  have  no  failh  what- 
ever It  is  iol'y  to  suppose  that  every  (lint  chip  and  chert  flake  is  the  work 
of  art*  for  their  number  is  beyond  compulation.  They  form  whole  strata  in 
some  places.  It  is  prcpoKierous  to  believe  that  men  continued  making  these 
'rhips"  for  unnumbered  ages  without  improving  upon  them,  and  that  the)' 
prodoced  them  in  such  iiuantities  that  they  may  be  traced  for  miles,  in  some 
places,  in  a  stratum  a  foot  thick! 

In  all  deference  to  the  learning  and  research  of  many  archscologists,  1 
must  be  permitted  to  say  with  Reclus,  that  the  ability  to  doubt  is  '*tiotthe 
meanest  attribute  in  genuine  philosophy,"  and  that  I  attach  but  little  import- 
tance  to  the  ages  into  which  archEcologists  have  divided  it.  Higher  and  lower 
states  of  the  art  seem  always  to  have  co-existed.  And  should  we  admit  the 
succesMve  ages  claimed  by  thcro,  in  some  instances  we  would  fmd  that  the 
bandt  on  the  dial  plate  had  gone  backward.  In  North  Amcrira  the  Mound 
Builders  dwelt  in  cities  and  used  copper  and  possibly  iron.  It  was  formerly 
believed  that  they  were  driven  out  by  a  rare  who  used  stf^ne  exrlusivcty,  but 
further  inresligjtion  has  led  ethnologists  to  bcliRvc  that  the  "Mound  Builders" 
were  our  race  of  Indians,  Living  while  men,  as  M&^or  Powell,  and  othera, 
hare  seen  them  erect  muiinds.  They  undoubtedly  retrograded  and  went 
back  to  the  use  of  stone. 

History  informs  us  that  the  [>eople  on  the  west  coast  of  Greenland  at- 
tained to  the  use  of  metal,  hut  intercourse  with  Europeans  ceased  for  about 
300  years  in  whjrh  time  they  returned  to  the  use  of  stone.  Son\e  tribes  still 
use  stone  Implements,  while  others  have  but  recently  exchanged  stone  for 
iron. 

Joseph  Shan(;aratta,  a  christianized  Indian  chief  in  Oregon,  informed 
roe  in  1873,  that  he  distinctly  remembered  when  the  tribe  was  in  the  "stone 
age,"  and  used  »ionc  arrowheads,  spearpoints,  mortars,  pestles,  etc.,  and 
described  to  mc  the  method  of  their  manufacture.  A  year  laler  I  visited  m 
tribe  of  Indians  in  I.ake  county,  about  100  miles  north  of  San  Francisco,  who 


% 


d 


THE  RBCE^•T  ORWIX  OF  MAA\ 


65 


still  in  the  "stone  age,"  nunuracturing  and  usin^  stone  mortars,  pestles 
arrowheads.  Two  of  their  number  manufactured  arrowheads  and  spear- 
points  in  mjr  presence,  one  rcry  fine  specimens  and  the  other  rude  ones.  I 
was  the  Arst  to  publish,  as  far  as  I  kno^r,  th:  process  of  their  manufacture. 
Since  then  white  men  in  England  and  in  this  country  have  learned  the 
method,  and  have  become  such  adepts  in  the  art  as  to  deceive  the  most  pro- 
found savants. 

The  finding  of  rude  implements  is  not  evidence  of  high  annquiiy. 
Nearly  any  ranchcria  on  the  Pacific  slope,  cither  ancient  or  modem,  yields 
tbem  in  greater  or  less  abundance.  Amongst  the  ions  of  implements  I  lound 
in  the  burial  places  of  the  Indians  of  Southern  California  were  those  ol'  rude 
workmanship  mingled  with  the  finest  forms. 

Id  his  explorations  of  Mycenea  and  Tyrens,  Dr.  Schliemann  found  some 
beautiful  obsidian  arrowht!ads,  dating  back  about  ]ooo  years  B.  C.  Some 
had  rounded  and  others  indented  base.  He  also  found  perforated  discs  in 
the  old  Grecian  tombs.  I  sent  him  drawings  of  exactly  similar  specimens  I 
had  obtained  from  the  burial  plaices  of  the  Indians  in  California,  though  dif* 
ferin^  nearly  three  thousand  years  in  the  age  of  their  roanulactuie-  The 
eminent  explorer  expressed  his  surprise  at  the  fact  that  1  could  duplicate 
all  the  specimens  of  stone  which  he  had  found  in  the  ancient  Grecian  tombs. 
It  shows  that  the  art  of  manufacturinif  stone  implements  has  gradually  trar- 
elcd  around  the  globe,  closing  porhaps  with  the  Caltff>raia  Indians. 

The  Pliocene  period  in  geology  affords  no  traces  of  human  remains  or 
implements,  and  we  believe  the  same  may  be  affirmed  of  the  Post  Pliocene 
which  embraces  the  Glacial  period  and  its  subsidence. 

Dr.  Dawson,  the  eminent  geologist  of  Canada,  believes  the  time  required 
for  the  Post  Glacial  period  has  been  greatly  exaggerated  ;  that  the  calcula- 
tions of  long  time  based  on  the  gravels  of  the  Somme,  on  the  caves  of 
Tiniere,  on  the  peat  bogs  of  France  and  Denmark,  and  on  certain  cave  de- 
posits,  have  all  been  shown  to  be  more  or  less  at  fault,  and  that  probably 
none  of  the»c  reach  farther  back  than  six  or  seven  thousand  years,  which,  ac- 
cording to  Dr.  Andrews,  has  elapsed  since  the  close  of  the  bowlder  clay  de- 
posits in  America.  Dr.  Andrews'  careful  and  elaborate  observations  on  the 
raised  beaches  of  Lake  Michigan  enables  him  to  calculate  the  time  when 
North  America  rose  out  of  the  waters  of  the  Glacial  period  at  between  5,500 
and  7.500  years  ago.  Dr.  Dawson  says  this  fixes  the  possible  duration  of  tne 
human  period  in  North  America,  though  he  believes  there  are  other  lines  of 
evidence  which  would  reduce  man's  residence  here  to  a  much  shorter  period. 

That  man  appeared  as  cotemporaneous  with  certain  extinct  animals  I 
thtak  possible.  But  the  juxtaposition  of  hunun  bo.ics  and  those  of  extinct 
animals  is  no  certain  proof  of  high  antiquity.     Many  years  ago  Siberian  hunt- 


Sn  HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOVTUERX  CAUFOIiXl^ 


eri  found  a  mammoth  frozen  id  the  ice  and  mud  at  the  mouth  of  the  Lena  io^ 
mch  a  state  of  preservation  that  they  fed  its  flesh  to  their  dogs.  Some  of  thfl 
wool  of  this  monster  is  still  preserved  in  the  museum  at  Si.  Petersburg.  Since 
that  lime  several  other  extinct  mammals  have  been  found  in  Siberia  in  a  good 
state  of  pieservation,  io  some  instances  even  the  blood  corpuscles  not  being 
broken  down,  showing  that  they  came  to  their  death  suddenly  as  if  over- 
whelmed with  annular  matter.  The  remains  of  a  mastodon  were  found  in 
Orange  county,  K.  Y.,  that  had  several  bushels  of  pine  and  maple  twigs  in 
its  ftomarh  upon  which  it  had  made  its  last  repast.  Even  the  vegetable  fiber 
between  its  teeth  was  well  preserved.  The  remains  of  another  was  found  in 
Indiana  with  the  marrow  so  well  preserved  that  the  workmen  used  it  for  greaa- 
ing  their  boola  The  remains  of  a  mammoth  were  found  in  a  ditch  of  the 
Tez-cu-co-co  road,  the  animal  having  doubtless  perished  after  the  Incas  had 
excavated  the  ditch.  The  Indians  of  this  country  had  a  tradition  that  their 
fathers  hunted  a  huge  deer  which  had  a  hand  on  its  face,  and  slept  leaning 
against  trees.  The  Indians  of  Alaska  declare  that  the  mammoth  is  »till  living 
in  the  interior  of  that  country,  and  that  they  have  seen  it  The  bones  of  the 
animal  are  found  nearly  or  quite  all  over  the  territory  of  Alaska  in  such  a 
fine  state  of  preservation  that  it  is  evident  it  has  but  recently  become  exlinci 
in  that  region.  In  the  Quarternary  formation  at  Ventura  I  found  the  Kw 
mains  of  the  mastodon,  Llama  and  "fossil  horse"  comnningled.  Evidently 
theae  animals  have  but  recently  become  extinct. 

During  and  after  my  connection  with  the  U.  S.  Gectogical  Survey,  I  exj 
humed  several  thousand  skeletons  of  Indians  on  the  islands  of  SoJthern  Cali- 
fornia and  on  the  mainland.     In  many    of   the   graves    1    discovered    fossil! 
remains  of  shells  and  cetaceans.     O.ie  shell  known  as  jiantrn  6eUa,  and   tb4| 
teeth  of  a  shark  tarthxradoni  rectus,    Ag.    were   common.      I    thought    this] 
shark  extinct,  but  Prof.  David  S.  Jordan  informs  me  that  an  occasional    ex-' 
ample  is  still  found  in  the  Pacific  ocean,  but  under  another  name.       Instead 
of  these  forms  having  perished  with  the  Indians,  they  had  gathered    them    as 
fossils,  as  they  had  the  vertebrae  of  whales,    and    deposited    them    with  their 
dead.     So  of  many  of  the  fossil  bones  of  extinct  mammals   found  with  the  ro^ 
mains  of  man;  he  had  collected  and  brought  them  together  while  living. 

As  to  "prehistoric  man,"  I  doubt  if  such  a  being  ever  existed  upon  thiv 
continent,  notwithstanding  the  fact  that  here,  probably,  appeared  the  Gnt 
dry  land.  The  books  and  traditions  of  the  inhabitants  of  Central  America 
and  Mexico  show  that  a  race  came  from  the  south  and  gradually  spread  over 
the  Mississippi  valley  until  they  reached  the  copper  mines  of  lake  SuperiorJl 
It  is  intimated  that  they  originally  crossed  from  the  old  world  on  an  elevated 
plateau  known  as  Atlantis,  and  there  is  much  to  prove  that  they  were  of 
Egyptian  origin.  Afterward  they  were  driven  south  by  a  race  coming  from 
the  northwest,  who  were  doubtless  Asiatics,  and  the  ancestors  of  our   present 


THE  RECEXT  OJUGIX  OF  M^X.  S7 

Indians.  After  many  years  they  reached  Mexico,  and  built  m  tuwn  called 
Tollanzinco,  and  later  the  city  of  Tullan.  These  were  the  Toltecs.  When 
Cortez  invaded  Mexico  he  found  the  Aziecs  in  pooer.  They  had  come  from 
the  south  and  subjugated  the  ToItccs.  In  hii  war  with  the  Axtecs  he  found 
the  former  willing  sllies. 

As  far  as  I  know  all  welt  informed  archfcologists  accept  lhes0  conclu* 
sions  as  the  most  probable  theory  respecting  the  race  formerly  inhabiting  this 
continent,  which  leaves  us  without  such  a  thiog  as  "prehistoric  man"  in 
America. 

I  do  not  understand  the  Bible  to  represent  Adam   as    the   first    human 

being  created.  It  gives  us  a  hiitory  oi  the  Adamic  pair  and  their  prosperity 
from  whom  the  Savior  of  the  world  was  to  spring.  There  may  have  been 
other  centero  of  creation.  Indeed  it  is  difficult  to  interpret  some  references 
and  declarations  in  the  fir>t  chapters  of  Ctcncsia  on  any  other  theory.  This 
would  not  necessarily  affect  the  oneness  of  human  nature,  says  the  leatned 
Dr.  Whedon,  or  the  general  destiny  of  man.  It  is  my  belief  that  the  negio 
race  began  its  existence  as  an  independent  creation,  nnd  possibly  previous 
to  the  creation  of  Adam.  The  commonly  received  biblical  chronology  places 
the  creation  of  the  Adamic  pair  at  a  period  dating  back  about  6,000  ^ears. 
But  Egyptain  monuments  dating  back  more  than  lwo>thirds  of  this  time  oott' 
Uin  pictures  of  the  negro  which  represent  hira  exactly  as  he  is  today.  The 
typical  ne^ro  then  possessed  the  receding  forehead,  crisp  hair,  tumacious  lips, 
prognathus  jaws,  flattened  nose,  lung  femurs,  etc.,  as  that  of  the  typical  negro 
of  the  nineteenth  century.  Then  if  there  has  been  no  differentiation  in  the 
past  four  thousand  years,  there  certainly  cuuld  not  have  been  in  the  one  or 
two  thousand  preceding  years,  or  even  if  weeitend  the  creation  uf  the  white 
race  back  to.ooo  years,  to  change  him  from  a  white  man  to  a  black  man  with 
his  peculiar  physiological  characteristics. 

LVVe  call  the  American  Indian  a  red  man,  which  is  far  from  being  correct 
He  undoubtedly  belongs  to  the  Mongoloid  race,  while  the  Anglo-Saxon  is  the 
red  man  as  was  our  father  Adam,  which  is  signified  in  the  name  which  his 
Creator  gave  him. 
But  in  conclusion  I  desire  to  say,  that  while  Hebrew  chronology  may 
possibly  remove  the  origin  of  our  race  farther  back  by  two  or  three  thousand 
years  than  ts  indicated  by  Usher,  yet  in  not  one  single  instance  have 
archajologists  been  able  to  produce  human  remains  which  they  can  show 
antedates  the  shortest  biblical  chronology.  I  have  ever  been  willing  to  accept 
truth  whercevcr  lound,  or  by  whomsoever  discovered,  and  have  tried  to 
carefully  examine  everything  ulTered  as  evidence  for  a  high  antiquity  of  our 
race,  but  to  this  date  have  found  nothing  to  euablish  a  belief  in  the  proposi- 
tion put  forth  by  zealous  antiqiunans.     Turn  the  proposition  In  any  way  we 


58  HISTORICAL  SOCIKTT  OFSOUTaSRJ{  CALlFORJilA. 


may  and  the  response  comes  back  that  man  began  his  existence  upon  lh!» 
earth  in  compaiauvely  recent  times,  and  as  a  race  we  arc  in  the  spring-time 
of  a  vigoroui  youth. 

The  learned  editor  of"  Lt$  Monde*  spent  nearly  a  whole  year  in  studying 
the  works  of  Evans,  Lyell,  Lubbock,  Prestwick,  Penngelly,  Vogt,  Bucban, 
Dwser,  Mailot,  De  Martilet,  and  others,  and  he  declares  that  not  only  hat  it 
not  been  proven  that  human  remains  hare  been  found  in  any  Tertiary  forma- 
tion, but  that  the  so  called  Qiiarternary,  in  which  they  arc  found,  arc  noth- 
ing but  moving  deposits,  moveable  on  declivities,  as  the  eminent  geologist 
Beaumont  testifies;  that  the  soils  of  the  stalagmitic  caves,  which  so  exercised 
the  British  Association,  have  been  overruD  by  water,  or  some  other  lutural 
Agent,  so  that  the  depositsof  mud  originally  laid  on  the  stalagmitet  have 
slipped  below  them,  and  thua  afford  no  evidences  of  high  antiquity, 


DATE  OF  THE  FIRST  DISCOVERY  OF  GOLD  IN  GflLIFORNIft 


In  an  article  published  in  the  San  Francisco  "Call"  of  October  8,  1895, 
entitled,  'The  First  Discovery  of  Gold  tn  California/'  I  stated  that  the  date  of 
the  di»covcry  was  still  a  subject  of  conlroverty.  Col.  J.  J.  Warner,  who  vii- 
iled  the  placers  shortly  after  their  discover)-,  always  maintained  that  the  dis> 
covery  was  made  in  June,  1841.  Don  Abel  Stearns,  in  a  letter  to  the  Cab- 
fornia  Pioneer  Society,  gave  the  date,  March,  1843.  The  date  given  by 
Stearns  has  been  accepted  by  Bancroft  and  other  historical  writers.  The  fol- 
lowing letter,  called  forth  by  the  pubhcation  of  my  article,  shows  conclusively 
that  Don  Abel  Stearns  was  mistaken,  and  that  the  year  1841  Is  the  correct 
date  of  the  discovery  of  gold  in  the  San  Feliciano  placers,  near  Newhall,  Los 
Angeles  county.  This  was  the  Srst  discovery  of  gold  in  California  of  which 
we  have  an  authentic  account. 

J.    M.   GUIHN, 

Secretary  Historical  Society  of  Southern  California. 


Oakland,  Cai..,  Sept.  8,  1895. 
fTM.  GuiNN,  Secretary  Historical  Society  of  Southern  California — 

Dear  Sir:  1  read  in  today's  San  I'rancisco  "Call"  a  communicaiion 
from  your  pen  concerning  the  first  discovery  of  gold  in  CaWlomia  in  which 
you  quote  from  the  account  on  that  subject  written  by  Col.  J.  J.  Warner,  for 
whose  accuracy  in  historical  fact  you  vouch,  and  very  properly,  as  I  think. 
This  account  gives  the  date  of  the  discovery  of  gold  in  June, 
1841.  And  you  also  quote  Don  Abel  Stearns  as  giving  the  date  of  the  dis- 
cuvery  in  March,  [£43.  Now  it  is  about  the  Utter  date  that  has  influenced 
me  to  send  you  these  lines. 

I  was  one  of  the  party,  in  which  Rolnnd  and  Worltman  were  perhaps  the 
best  Icnown  members,  who  came  from  Santa  Fft  to  California  in  1841,  arriv 
ing  in  Los  Angeles  in  (he  fall  of  1841.  Shortly  after  our  arrival,  Dr.  Lymao, 
a  member  of  that  party,  and  myself,  were  invited  to  dine  with  Don  Abel,  ai 
all  the  natives  called  him,  and  while  in  his  house  he  showed  us  a  quart  bottle 
of  gold  dust  containing  about  8c  ounces  obtained  about  where  Colonel 
Warner  describes  the  placers  located.  Now  how  could  Mr.  Steams  place 
that  date  a  year  later? 

We  suggested  the  propriety  of  visiting  that  camp  and  engaging  in  miping 
but  Don  Ab';l  thuught  the  gold  could  not  be  found  in  paying  quantities. 

I  should  like  to  have  written  you  more  fully,  but  am  within  a  few  dajri  of 
83  years  old  and  dislike  to  write  much. 

Very  respectfully  yours, 

t  L.  GivEjf. 


eo  HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OFSOVTlfERX  CJUFOnXTA 

REPORT  OF  THE  PUBLICATION  COiViniTTEE. 


To  the  I'ffief.n  and  membere  of  Ihe  Hiitorical  Socifly  of  Southern  Califomia,\ 

The  Publication  C^imniittce  reports  as  followsi 

We  have  selected  from  the  papers  read  before  the  society  matter  for  our  Pub- 
Hcation  of  ■&95-  In  our  selection  we  have  aimed  to  select  that  the  subject 
matter  of  which,  pertains  to  the  history  of  Southern  California.  For  wanti 
of  funds,  quite  a  number  of  valuable  papers  remain   unpublished. 

The  following  arc  the  titles  of  papers  read  before  the  society  during  tin 

year  1895. 

January  meetino. 
"Inaugural  Addre»s  of  PrcH  dent,"  by  Edwin  B^ixtcr. 
"John  Charles  Fremont."  by  A.  W.  Blair. 

KI^BKUARV    M)':ET1NCs 

"Overland  to  Los  Angeles  by  the  Salt  Lake  route  in    1849,"    ^y   Ju^l 
Waller  Van  Dyke. 

MARCH    UEF-TtNG. 
"Ship  BuildingatSan  liahiiel  Mission,"  by  F.  J.  Policy. 
"John  R.  Woltskill — A  Pioneer  of  Sacramento  Valley,"  by  H.  D.  Barrows 

AHKII,    UKKTINU. 

•The  Modern  Trust  in  Application  to  Agriculture,"  by   P.  W.  Dooner.j 

MAV    MKKTING. 

•KIol.  J.  J.  Warner,"  by  H.  I).  Barrows. 

JUHy    MKK-riNfi. 

"Public  Schools  in  California  bcfurc  the  Conquest,"  by  F.  J   Policy. 

JtJl-V    MUniNG. 

"From  Arizona  to  Los  Angeles  in  the  Early  '70s,"  by  P  \V.   Dooner. 

SKPI-EMEIER    MKKTlNi;. 

"The  Grand  CaAon  of  the  Colorado,"  by  Mrs.  Mary  E.  Hart. 

OCTOHEK     MEETING. 

"The  History  of  University  Town,"  by  Mrs.  M.  Burton  Williamson. 

NOVEMBER      MREI'INt;. 

"The  Recent  Origin  of  Man,"  by  Stephen  Bowers,  A.  M.  Ph.  D, 
"Don  Alterdo  Roliinson,"  by  H.  D.  Barrows. 

DECEMBER    MEETtNC. 

"The  Plan  of  Old    1*3    Angeles   and    the  Story  of  its  Highways    and 
Byways,"  by  j.  M.  Guinn. 

Resitectfully  submitted, 

J.  M.  GUINK, 
H.  D.  Barrows,     >■  Committee. 

P.  W.   DOONI 


INK,      1 

ows,     >  Cc 
NKR.    j 


REPORT  OF  THE  SECRETJJH'. 

REPORT  OF  THE  SECRETARY 
1895. 


ej 


To  Ihe  Officers  and  Members  ol  :he  Hiitorical  Society  oi  Southern 
CalifomU. 

V'our  Secretary  reports  as  follows: 

Number  of  meetings  held 1 1 

Kumbcr  of  papers  read 14 

The  meetings  have  been  fairly  well  attended.  The  work  of  the  Society, 
as  usual,  has  been  carried  on  by  a  few  members. 

The  pajiers  read  cover  a  wide  range  of  subjects,  but  nearly  all  of  them 
treat  of  some  phase  of  the  history  of  the  Pacific  coast. 

Ouring  the  year  past  we  have  been  compelled  to  give  up  uur  room  on 
the  fourth  tloor  of  the  court  house  which  we  have  had  possession  of  since 
1892.  The  increasing  business  of  the  county  rec|uirin^  more  room,  the 
supervisors  could  n>  longer  allow  us  to  occupy  it.  We  havi*  removed  our 
collection  to  the  balcony  of  Judge  Van  I'yke's  court  room  on  the  third  Root 
of  the  court  house.  On  account  of  the  limited  space  allowed  us,  we  have 
been  compelled  to  pack  in  boxes  a  considerable  ijuantity  of  our  books  and 
papers,  which  renders  them  inaccessible  for  ronsultalion  or  reference  Our 
meant  are  too  limited  to  secure  more  commodious  quarters. 

It  ii  to  be  regretted  that  so  many  of  our  citizens  who  have  become 
wealthy  by  the  rapid  growth  of  our  city  take  so  tittle  interest  in  preserving  its 
history.  Our  society  was  organized  and  has  been  built  up  by  men  oi  limited 
means.  I  doubt  whether  any  other  similar  organization  in  the  cnuntry  ha.^, 
with  such  limited  means,  done  so  much  valuable  work  as  ours  has.  During 
the  twelve  years  of  our  existence  as  a  society  we  have  published  nearly  one 
thousand  pages  of  historical  matter,  nearly  all  of  it  derived  from  original 
sources. 

Redistribute  annually  from  three  to  four  hundred  copies  of  each  issue 
of  our  yearly  publications.  These  have  a  wide  circulation  10  our  own  coun- 
try.  They  are  sent  to  historical,  scientific  and  geographical  societies,  to  pub- 
lic libraries,  and  to  the  lending  colleges  and  universities.  Our  society  has  an 
honorable  standing  among  the  historical  societies  of  the  United  States.  We 
exchange  publications  with  lFie  leading  historical  and  i^cientific  societies  in 
our  own  country,  and  have  received  appUcaticins  for  them  from  many  foreign 
countries  Within  the  past  year  we  have  received  requests  for  our  publica- 
tions from  the  Royal  College  of  Belles-lettres  of  Stockholm,  Sweden  ;  from  the 
Secretary  of  State,  Dominion  of  Canada ;  from  Sydney,  New  South  Wales  ; 
from  Auckland,  New  Zealand;  and  from  Paris  and  London.  AH  our  publi- 
cations previous  to  1891  are  out  of  print. 

The  work  of  [lacking  and  mailing  our  annual  publications,  sending 
notices  of  our  monthly  meetings,  conducting  the  correspondence,  receiving 
and  labeling  contributions,  as  well  as  keeping  the  minutes  and  records  of 
the  society,  all  devolve  upon  the  secretary.  These  various  duucs  take  a  great 
deal  of  time  and  labor  fur  which  no  {lecuniary  renuraeration  is  received  or  ex- 
pected. K^pectfuUy  submitted, 

).  M.  GuiNN,  Secretary. 


tfif  HISTORICAL  SOCIETV  OFSOVTHERJi  CULIFOJiJCiJ. 

CURATOR'S  REPORT. 

1895. 


IJIIRARV    \Nn   COt.r.ECTIONS   OF  THF    SOC1BTT. 

Whole  number  of  bound  volumes 750 

Number  of  (lainphlets  and  pa[>er  covered  books, , , 35°o 

Number  ot"  daily  newspapers  received  and   filed  for  binding ...        6 

Number  of  weekly  newspapers .  . .      35 

Number  of  monthly  magazines 3 

Number  of  quarterly  magazines 5 

In  addition  to  these  we  have  a  collection  of  photographs,  maps,  mana- 
script^-  in  Spanish;  also  files  of  Los  .\nge!cs  newsiapers,  nearly  complete,  run- 
ning back  forty-two  years. 

Respectfully  submitted, 

J.  M.  GuiNN,  Curitor. 


TREASURER'S  ANNUAL  REPORT. 
1895. 


H.  r>.  Barrows,  in  account  with  HistoricalSocieiy  of  Southern  Califoraia. 

1895.  UR. 

Jan.     7   To  Balance $ 

Nov.  3,0  To  admission  fees  new   members  

Dec.      I   Annual  Publications  sold S  00 

Dec.  31   Dues  collected 94  ao — $195  25 

1896.  CR. 

Feb.     3  By  cash  paid  printing  Annual  Publication    1894 

Feb.   io    "     "      advertising  "     mectinp  

May    14    "     "      postal  cards  for  secretar>*  , 

June  a  a     "     "       cxprcssage        .      . 

June  J9    "     "      help  moving  collection,  boxes  etc  , 
June  »9    "     "        "     softinjf  and  filing  newspapets  ... 

July     1     ■'     *■     janitor's  services 

Dec,    2     "     "       postage  on  Annual  etc.. 

Dec.    a    "     "      expreisage 

Doc.  14    "     "       mailing  notices  of  due 

Balance  on  hand  Jan.  6,   1896 

Respectfully  submitted, 

n.  D.  Babkows,  Treasurer. 


Organized  November  i,  1883.  Incorporated  February  13, 1891. 


ANNUAL  PUBLICATION 


OF  THE 


Historical  Society 


OP 


Southern  California 

Los  Angeles 
1896 


Published  by  the  Society 


LOS  ANGELES,  CAL. 
CAUFORNIA  VOICE   PRINT 

18»T 


OFFICERS  OF  THE  SOCIETY. 


I896. 

OFFICERS: 

Frank  J.  Polley        _______        President 

Mrs.  M.  Bubton  Williamson        _        _        _        First  Vice  President 
A.  C.  Vroman        _____         Second  ^^ce-P^esident 

Edwin  Baxter        _____  _         Treasurer 

J.  M.  GuiNN         _____  Secretary  and  Curator 

BOARD  OF  directors- 
Frank  J.  PoLLEY  J.  M.  GuiNN 
A.  C.  Vbomah                                           Edwin  Baxter 
Rev.  J.  Adam                                            H.  D.  Barrows 
Mrs.  M.  Burton  Wiluamson 


I897. 

OFFICERS  (ELECT.) 
J.  D.  Moody        ___---_-        President 
Mrs.  M.  Burton  Williamson        -        _        _        First  Vice  President 
E.  W.  Jones        ___---        Second  Vice-President 
Edwin  Baxter        _        -        -  _        _         _         -         Treasurer 

J.  M.  GuiNN        ___---        Secretary  and  Curator 
BOARD  OF  DIRECTORS. 
J.  D.  Moody  E.  W.  Jones 

H.  D.  Barrows  Rev.  J.  Adam 

J.  M.  GuiNN  Edwin  Baxter 

Mrs.  M.  Burton  Williamson. 


CONTENTS. 

Officeri  of  the  Society,  1 896-97        --____  ^ 

Inaugural  Address  of  President  Frank  J.  Policy            _        _        _  5 

Old  Time  Schools  ind  Schoolmasters  of  Los  Angelea — ^J.  M.  Gtiion  7 

Governor  Caspar  de  Portola — H.  D.  Barrows      _        _        _        _  15 

Michael  White,  the  Pioneer— H.  D.  Barrows       _        _        _        -  15 

Renegade  Indians  of  San  Gabriel — Frank  J.  Polley       -        -        -  aa 

Don  Antonio  Maria  Lugo         -------  28 

A  Defense  of  the  Missionary  Establishments  of  Alta  California — Rev. 

J.  Adams  -~-~----35 

A  Two  Thousand  Mile  Stage  J4ide — H.  D.  Barrows    -        -        -  40 

Capt.  Jedediah  S.  Smith,  The  Pathfinder  of  the  Sierras— J.  M.GuInn  45 

Memorial  Sketch  of  General  John  Mansfield — H.  D.  Barrows         -  54 

Value  of  a  Historical  Society — Mrs.  M.  Burton  WiUamson            -  57 

Historic  Houses  of  Los  Angeles — J.  M.  Guinn     -        -        -        -  62 

Capture  of  Monterey  October  19,  1842 — ^J.  M.  Guinn            -        -  70 

Report  of  the  Publication  Committee  1896           -        -        -        -  74 

Report  of  the  Curator,  1896     -------  75 

Report  of  the  Secretary,  1896           ------  75 

Report  of  the  Treasurer,  1896           __----  77 


OFFICERS  OF  THE  SOCIETY. 


I896. 

OFFICERS: 
Frank  J.  Pollet        _______        President 

Mrs.  M.  Bubton  Williamson        _        _        _        First  Vice  President 
A,  C.  Vroman        _____         Second  Vice-President 

Edwin  Baxter        _____  _         Treasurer 

J.  M.  GuiNN         _____  Secretary  and  Curator 

BOARD  OF  directors- 
Frank  J.  PoLLEY  J.   M,   GUINN 
A.  C.  Vhoman                                           Edwin  Baxter 
Rev.  J.  Adam                                            H.  D.  Barrows 
Mrs.  M.  Burton  Williamson 


I897. 

OFFICERS  (ELECT.) 
J,  D.  Moody        ___----_        President 
Mrs.  M.  Burton  Williamson        _        _        _        First  Vice  President 
E.  W.  Jones        ___---        Second  Vice-President 
Edwin  Baxter        _        _        -  _        _         _         _         Treasurer 

J.  M.  GuiNN        __-_--        Secretary  and  Curator 
BOARD  OF  DIRECTORS. 
J.  D.  Moody  E.  W.  Jones 

H.  D.  Barrows  Rev.  J.  Adam 

J.  M.  GuiNN  Edwin  Baxter 

Mrs.  M.  Burton  Williamson. 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY 


SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA. 


LOS  ANGELKS,  1806, 


PRESIDENT'S  INAUGURAL  ADDRESS. 


BV  PROP.    FILAJTX  J.   FOLLBV. 


»  [Delivered  January  7,  1&96.] 

MmtherM  of  the  ffittorieat  Society  of  Southern  California: 
la  conformity   mth  custom,  I  present  in  my   inaugural  the  outline  of 
work  for  the  year  as  an  incentive  to  active  cooperation  among  the  menibera 
of  the  society. 

The  society  has  existed  and  justified  itself  in  the  past,  in  the  face  of 
many  difficulties.  The  lack  of  suitable  room  prevents  its  valuable  ejection 
from  being  used  to  the  best  advantage.  The  county's  needs  deprived  lu  of 
the  tafge  r<;om  in  the  court  house  and  we  now  occupy  a  balcony  of  Judge 
VanDyke's  court  room  by  a  courtesy  which  the  society  deeply  appreciatesi 
though  it  regrets  the  necessity  which  calls  for  it 

We  also  suffer  I'rom  a  lack  of  funds,  but  have  the  creditable  record  of 
being  iree  from  debt  and  limiting  our  expenses  10  the  measure  of  our  purse. 

We  need  more  people  in  attendance  at  our  monthly  meetings.  Many 
of  our  m'.>st  earnest  members  arc  tho<>e  who  have  reached  au  age  where  it  is 
an  effort  to  attend  an  evening  meeting  with  its  subsequent  discomforts  of  the 
return  at  a  late  hotir. 

It  is  hard  to  secure  active  workers  since  those  who  approach  the  subject 
with  moderate  enthusiasm  arc  apiiallcd  at  the  chaos  into  which  local  history 
has  apparently  fallen.  The  lack  of  a  tx>puUr  accessible  stale  history  is 
severely  felt,  and  since  the  bulky  volumes  of  Bancroft  require  an  especial 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOVTHERN  CALIFORNIA. 


training  for  their  use,  intending  students  are  ditcour^ged  and  retire  from  the 
work. 

These  facts  tntlte  the  need  for  our  society.  Oar  local  history  is  one  of 
the  most  fascinating  and  tnsiructive  m  all  the  Union.  The  work  already 
done  Has  been  productive  of  much  jjood,  more  in  the  way  of  tearen  than  in 
Outwaid  deraonirt  rat  ions.  Our  publications  are  carefully  distributed,  and  the 
factof  our  being  here  furnished  a  center  from  which  many  good  influences 
radiate. 

There  is  a  iamentable  i^jnorance  among  many  well  educated  citizens  as 
to  Southern  California  history,  and  our  work  should  be  among  them. 
The  school  teachers  of  the  county  aod  public  ofBcers  of  all  kinds  would  be 
much  benefited  by  an  active  interest  in  our  society  and  it  is  in  ten'ers  like 
these  rather  than  to  the  people  as  a  mass,  where  OMSt  good  can  be  done. 

Owin^  to  the  lack  of  printed  history  relating  to  our  country  a  more 
generous  cuntribution  of  papers  from  our  older  merobirrs  would  be  very 
accepuble.  It  is  a  duty  they  owe,  thai  matters  of  jiersonal  note  should  not 
die  with  ihcm.  Through  their  acquaintainship  througbtiUt  the  country, 
many  diaries,  memoirs  and  ]>apers  could  doubtless  be  obtained. 

The  society  could  also  do  a  good  work  by  furnishing  a  small  bibliog- 
raphy for  t;^e  of  students  who  desire  light  in  dark  places. 

An  histrry  guide  to  our  city  is  also  among  the  possibilities  that  other 
■ocictics  like  ours  have  realiwd  for  cities  in  the  East. 

The  rarity  of  the  Centennial  [Kiniphlct  and  its  permanent  value  offer  a 
practical  ciample  in  this  line.  Tiie  society  as  a  body  needs  to  keep  itself 
before  the  public  in  all  tej^itimate  ways  upon  all  public  occasions  and  show 
that  iu  interest  is  not  alone  for  the  past. 

Guests  of  Lote  whou'd  be  with  us  more  frequently,  and  an  informal 
reception  tendered  to  one  or  more  old  citizens  would  be  productive  of  much 
good. 

The  society  can  do  no  better  work  than  to  aid  in  breaking  down  the 
prejudice  that  makes  a  racial  barrier  between  the  oM  regime  and  the  new. 

The  cM  Californians  !ecl  keenly  the  treatment  formerly  accorded  them 
and  it  is  lime  that  such  niisundcrst.-indings  should  v.u  ish  in  the  light  of  bet- 
ter times  when  each  have  i;rown  to  know  the  other  better. 

By  a  Utile  care  the  program  commillee  can  secure  the  active  coopera- 
ation  of  many  members  who  arc  oott  dormant  through  diffidence,  and  if  each 
member  of  the  society  will  interesc  himself  to  inieresi  others  snd  secure 
them  to  our  membership,  our  usefulness  will  be  extended  and  prosperity 
proportionally  increased. 

The  good  accomplished  in  the  past  makes  me  hopeful  in  the  future, 
especially  since  we  begin  «  new  year  with  harmony  among  all  tur  members 
and  a  clean  record  beioie  the  country  at  large. 


THE  OLD  TIME  SCHOOLS  AND  SCHOOLMASrGRS  OF 
LOS  ANGELES, 


Wr  J.   H.  CUINH. 


[Published  in  the  Los  Angeles  Daily  Times,  May  »»,  1896.] 

The  recent  meeting  of  the  Southern  Calirornia  Teachers'  Association  ta 
this  city,  at  which  t200  educators  assembled,  and  the  {-rospective  meeting 
this  summer  in  some  other  city  of  the  12,000  it  more  members  of  the 
National  Educationai  Associati'>n,  whom  we  had  hoped  to  welcome  here,  is 
evidence  (disputable  that  the  "school  mnster  is  abroad  in  the  land,"  and  is 
evidence,  too,  that  at  times  the  schoolmistress  is  not  at  home. 

In  tookintr  over  the  assemblage  uf  teachers  in  the  Normal  Ha!l  at  a 
recent  meejng  ot  the  associition,  I  was  led  to  comparj  this  association  with 
tbe  first  teachers'  intitule  or  association  ever  held  in  Los  Angeles. 

October  31,  i8;o,  just  a  little  over  ■  quancr  of  n  century  ago,  ih* 
writer  assisted  in  organizing  the  first  teachers'  assoctaticn  held  in  our  city. 
At  that  institute  the  entire  teaching  force  of  the  city  and  county  of  Los 
Angeles,  including  the  area  now  in  Orange  county,  was  just  thirty-five 
teachers.  Now  in  the  same  area  there  arc  900.  Then  there  were  but  six 
High  Schools  in  the  entire  state,  not  one  of  which  was  in  Southern  Call' 
fornia,  nuw  there  are  ihat  many  in  Los  Angeles  county  alone.  If  I  were 
asked  for  somcsin^le  standard  by  which  to  measure  the  rapid,  but  at  the  same 
time  permanent  growth  of  Los  Angeles,  I  would  answer  the  Increase  of  our 
public  schools. 

The  first  community  wsnt  the  American  pioneer  supplies  is  the  school- 
house.  Wherever  the  pioneers  from  the  New  England  and  the  Middle  stales 
planted  a  settlement  there  at  th?  same  time  ihey  planted  a  schoc.lhouse- 
The  first  community  want  that  the  Spanish  pobladores  (colonists)  supplied 
was  a  church.  The  schoolhoute  was  not  wanted,  or  If  wanted  was  the  long- 
fell  want  that  never  was  satisfied. 

.JVt  the  lime  of  the  acquisition  of  California  by  the  Americans  (1S46) 
seventy  seven  years  from  the  date  of  its  first  settlement,  there  was  not,  to  tho 
best  of  my  knowledge  and  reasearch,  a  public  schoolhouse  owned  by  any 
pueblo  or  city  in  all  California.  The  few  schools  that  did  exist  were  kcptiti 
rented  buildings,  cr  the  schoolmaster  furnished  the  schoolroom  as  part  of 
the  contract. 

The  first  school  in  California  was  opened  in  San  Jose  in  December, 
i;94,  seventeen  years  after  the  founding  of  the  Pueblo. 

The  pioneer  teacher  of  California  was  Manuel  de  Vargas,  a  retired  set" 
geant  of  infantry.  The  schuol  was  OjMrncd  in  the  public  granary.  Vargas 
in  1795.  was  offered  $352  a  year  to  open  a  school  in  San  I^iego,  and  as  this 


8        HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  CALIFORMA- 


w*M  higher  wages  than  he  was  receiving,  true  to  the  instincts  of  the  profra- 
sion,  he  look  it,aQii  thus  became  the  pioneer  teacher  of  Southern  California. 
JofA  Manuel  Toca,  a  gamatc.  or  ship-boy,  arrived  at  Santa  Barbara  on  a 
Spanish  transport  the  same  year,  1795,  and  was  employed  as  schoolmaster 
at  5i»S  11  >«'■  'I'hus  the  army  and  the  navj-  pi  neered  education  In  Cali- 
fornia. In  1797  'I'oca  was  ordered  to  report  for  duty  on  his  ship,  and  Jos^ 
.Medino,  another  gamute  took  his  place  as  schoolmaster.  Vargas,  the 
pi'-  neer  pedagogue,  seems  to  have  been  somewhat  of  an  educational  tramp. 
We  find  him  in  1 798  99  teaching  in  Sania  BarbarK.  With  the  close  of  the 
century  be  disappears  from  the  educational  field. 

Gov.  Borica,  the  patron  of  the  public  schools,  who,  with  such  material 
as  he  could  command,  hid  made  an  earnest  elTbrt  to  esublish  a  sytem  of 
public  education,  resigned  in  iSoo,  and  was  .<iucceeded  br  Arrillaga.  G07. 
Arrillaga,  if  not  openly  hostile,  was  indifTerent  to  the  education  of  the  com- 
mon people.  He  took  life  easy,  and  the  sch'x>1s  took  a  vacation  of  fifteen 
years.  Gov.  Sola,  the  successor  of  Artillaj^a,  made  an  effort  to  establish 
public  schools,  but  the  indifference  of  the  i>eo[itc  discouraged  him. 

There  seems  to  have  been  no  school  opened  in  Los  Angeles  during 
Borica'8  rule.  I^s  Angeles  bang  neither  a  maritime  or  presidial  town, 
there  were  probably  no  soldiers  or  sailors  out  of  a  job  who  could  turn  their 
attention  to  school  keeping.  With  the  revival  of  learning  under  Sola,  the 
first  school  in  Los  Angeles  was  o|«;ncd  in  1817,  just  thirty-six  years  after  the 
founding  of  the  Pueblo.  Maximo  I'ifla,  sn  invalid  soldier,  was  tV.e  pioneer 
■choolmaster  of  Los  Angeles.  His  salary  was  $140  a  >ear.  Where  his 
Mhoolhouse  was  located,  the  record  does  not  tell.  Probably,  like  Vargas, 
he  helJ  forth  in  the  public  granary,  which  was  I'icated  on  the  east  side  of 
the  old  plaza. 

The  Spanish  and  Mexican  Governors  made  spasmodic  efforts  to  estab- 
lish public  schools,  liut  with  little  success.  The  people  to':k  but  little  inter- 
est in  them,  the  school  terms  were  short,  the  vacations  long.  There  were 
well  educated  and  intelligent  men  among  the  wealthy  class  of  Califomians, 
but  the  common  people  were  ignorant  of  book  learning.  A  few  of  the 
wealthier  rancheroa  sent  their  sons  to  Mexico  to  be  educated.  The  girls 
picked  up  what  lit'le  education  they  got  at  home. 

The  old  soldier  schoolmasters  were  tyrants,  and  their  school  govern- 
ment a  military  despotism.  The  course  of  instruction  in  their  schools  and 
their  discipline  was  modeled  after  Pete  Jones'  alliterative  formula:  "Lickio* 
•nd  larnin'jno  llckin'  no  larnin'."  The  following  graphic  descnption  of  the 
old'lime  schools  and  schoolmasters  of  California  is  found  in  a  compilation 
by  Bancroft  from  the  writings  of  Gen.  M.  G.  Vallejo,  one  of  the  ablest  and 
most  liberal-minded  men  California  has  produced.     It  is,  no  doubt,  a  cor- 


SCHOOLS  ^ND  SCHOOIMASTERS  OF  LOS  ANGELES, 


rect  portraiture  of  the  (itoiieer  school  and  schoolmatter  of  Lcs  Angeles: 

'The  room  itself  was  lort|{,  narrow,badly  lighted;  unadorned  walls,  save 
bj*  a  huje  green  cross  or  the  picture  of  some  saint  generally  the  virgin  of 
GauiJalupe,  sus^tended  over  the  master's  heail  or  to  one  side  of  his  table; 
dirty  everywhere  end  in  places  dilapidated.  There  was  a  rude  ptalform  at 
one  end  on  which  w^s  placed  a  table,  covered  with  a  dingy  black  cloth. 
Behind  (his  table  was  seated,  in  a  greasy  dress  of  fantistir  fashion,  an  inva* 
Uded  old  so'dier,  of  ill-tempered  visage  and  repulsive  presence. 

As  the  scholars  Tctuctanily  entered  the  chilling  atmosphere  each  walked 
Ibe  length  of  the  icom,  kneeled  before  the  cross  or  saint,  recited  aloud  the 
be  'diio  and  crossed  himseli.  Uis  devotions  finished,  he  trembling, 
approached  the  master,  saying,  "La  Mano,  Senor  Maestro,"  thereupon,  that 
grave  functionary,  with  a  sort  vi  a  grunt  or  bellow,  gave  his  hand  to  kiss. 

Here  is  a  description  of  a  recitation  from  the  same  source:  "If  learn- 
ing to  write,  the  boy  placed  some  heavy,  black  line;:,  called  a  pauta,  under 
the  paper,  which  he  ruled  with  a  piece  of  lead,  afterwards  taking  the  paper 
and  a  pen  to  the  master,  who,  shari>entng  the  latter  with  his  knifr,  set 
him  a  copy  according  to  his  grade,  of  which  there  were  eight,  ranging  from 
coarse  marks  and  pothtoks  to  fine  writing  in  the  old-fashioned  round  hand. 
The  sheet  completed,  the  child  took  it  to  the  master.  'H're  is  a  blot,  you 
little  rascal '  'Pardon,  Senor  Maestro,  tomorrow  I  will  do  better.*  'Hold 
out  your  hand,  sirrah!'  During  the  time  de»-oted  to  the  examination  of 
ctpies  the  ferule  had  but  tittle  rest  But  on  the  black  cloath  lay  ano  her 
ard  far  more  terrible  implement  of  torture- — a  hempen  scourge,  with  iron 
p'  inis^a  nice  invention,  trulj,  for  helping  little  children  to  keep  from 
laughing  aloud,  running  in  the  streets,  playing  truant,  spilling  ink,  or  failing 
to  know  the  lessons  in  the  dreaded  doctrina  Christiana — the  only  lesson 
taught,  perhaps,  because  it  was  ths  only  one  the  master  could  teach;  to  fail 
in  the  doctrina  was  an  offense  unpardonable.  This  very  appropriate 
inquisitorial  instrument  of  torture  was  in  daily  use.  One  by  one  each  little 
guilty  wretch  was  stripped  of  his  poor  shirt — often  his  only  garment — 
stretched  face  downward  upon  a  bench,  with  a  handkershief  thrust  into  his 

^^H  tnouth  as  a  gag,  and  lashed  with  a  dozen  or  more  blows  until  the  blood  ran 

^^V  down  from  his  little  lacerated  back." 

W  When  such  brutality  was  practiced  in  them  it  Is  not  strange  the  schools 

I        were  unpopular. 

■  School  supplies  were  scarce  in  those  days.  Thehabititado  (paymaster) 
I  furnished  the  writing  paper  from  the  government  stores.  When  it  was  well 
I  covered  over  witn  p'U-huoks  and  choice  round-hand  extracts  from  the  Gate- 
I         chisra  and  doctrina  Christiana,  it  was  returned  to  the  soldiers  to  be  mauu- 

■  factured  into  cartridges.  So,  when  poor  Lo  went  on  the  warpath  it  some- 
I  times  happened  that  he  was  converted  into  a  good  Indian  by  having  a 
I        choice  extract  of  the  Catechism  or  doctrina  shot  into  him. 


lo 


HJSTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF SOUTHBJiN  CAUhORNIA, 


Maximo  Pifia,  the  pioneer  pedagogue  of  Los  Angeles,  taug'^i  duri-g  the 
years  1817  and  1818.  Then  the  schools  Cook  a  vacaiion  of  nine  ycart, 
probably  to  allow  the  pupils'  bacfas  tri  heat.  During  the  vacation,  the  gov* 
emment  changed  from  the  imiiarchical  domination  ofSpiin  to  the  reimb. 
lican  rule  of  Mexico.  In  the  first  forty  six  years  of  its  existence,  ii  the* 
record  is  correct,  the  Pueblo  of  Los  Angeles  cnj  yed  educational  facilities 
just  two  years.     There  was  no  educational  cmmming  in  thme  days. 

Mexico  did  better  for  putiHc  education  in  Cnltfornta  than  Spain.  The 
school  terms  were  increased  and  the  vacations  shortened. 

Luciano  Valdez.the  successor  of  Pina,  tauRhtin  iSsj-jS-ag-jo.  Joaquin 
Boiiller  in  tSji,  Vicente  Morago  in  1832,  Crisiov.il  Augiiilar  in  1S33,  and 
Francisco  Pont^^ja  in  1834  In  1836  the  ayuntaniicnto  [wtitioneJ  the  gor- 
einor  to  detail  an  officer  of  the  army  for  a  schoolmaster,  as  m  cne  qualified 
for  the  position  could  be  found  in  the  town.  Ensign  Guadalupe  M<:dina 
was  granted  leave  of  absence  to  act  as  pcrceptor.  He  seems  t  >  have  been  a 
very  efficient  teacher.  In  1S3S  Ignario  Caronct  and  his  daughter  ojwned  a 
school  on  the  Lancasterlan  plan  and  kept  it  'pen  till  1842. 

Gaudalupe  Medina  taught  in  1843,  and  the  early  part  of  1844.  Luisa 
Arguella  in  1S44.  E-sigo  Medina  again  resumed  the  birch  in  1845,  but 
laid  it  down  in  a  few  months  to  laVe  up  the  sword  Los  Angeles  was  hav- 
ing one  of  its  periodical  revolutions.  The  schoolhnuse  was  needed  lor  bar* 
racks.  The  pupils  were  given  a  vacation — a  vacation,  hy  the  way,  that  lasted 
five  years.  The  gringos  conquered  California  the  next  year  and  when  school 
took  up  the  country  was  under  a  new  government. 

The  first  public  school  opened  in  Los  Angeles  after  the  American  acqui- 
sition, and  the  last  one  taught  in  the  Spanish  language,  was  kept  by  Fran- 
cisco Bustamente.  There  is  a  contract  on  record  made  June  ai,  1850, 
between  him  and  the  president  of  the  city  council,  Don  Abel  Steams,  in 
in  whir.h  Bustamente  agrees  "to  teach  the  scholars  t  ■■  read  and  count,  and  so 
Car  as  he  is  capable,  to  teach  them  orthography  and  good  morals" — Com- 
pensation $60  a  month,  and  $20  for  rent  of  schi-  ol  room  to  be  paid  out  of 
the  public  funds.  The  pioneer  English  school  was  opened  in  i^'^o  by  the 
Rev.  Dr.  Weeks  and  John  G.  Nichols.  This  was  a  private  school.  Between 
1850  and  1854  there  were  several  private  schools.  Miss  JuUa  Dal'on 
taught  a  primary  school  in  1852-53.  T,  J.  Scully  in  1853  and  M.  A.  Hoyt 
in  1854.  The  genial  J.  Frank  Burns  taug^^t  a  subscription  school  in  a 
Urge  lent  near  San  Gabri-;!  in  1853-4.  Later  on  he  was  county  superin- 
tendent of  schools.  In  1854  the  erection  of  the  first  school  building  owned 
by  the  city  was  begun.  This  was  "School-House  Na  i,"  located  nn  the 
northwest  corner  of  Spring  and  Second  stteets;  on  the  lot  now  occupied 
by  the  Uryson  block  and  the  police  station.  It  was  a  mudeit  two  room 
atructure  built  of  brick.     (Later  on  it  was  enlarged  to  four  rooms.)     Unpre- 


SCHOOLS  AND  SCHOOLMASTERS  OF  LOS  ANGELES- 


It 


tentious  is  it  w.i4,  it  wai  x\\2  pride  of  the  dty,  and  the  fi  lett  school  bailding 
in  Southern  California  at  that  time. 

School  was  opened  in  it  March  19,  1855.  Willt&m  A.  Wallace  in 
chtrge  of  the  boys'  department  and  Miss  Louisa  Hayes  in  charge  of  the 
girls'  dqxartment  Coeducation  of  the  sexes  then  and  fur  many  years 
after  was  not  coleiated  in  the  public  sr-houls  •  (  Los  Angeles  This 
schn'ilhousc  then  was  well  oDt  of  town,  the  bulk  of  tne  inhabitants 
residing  north  of  Fir»t  street 

The  Los  Angeles  Stir  of  March  17,  1855,  in  an  editorial  urging 
the  p'anling  of  trees  on  the  school  lot,  says:  "The  ground  to  be  enclosed 
is  sufficiently  larfic  for  play  grounds,  and  the  trees,  if  they  flouiish,  will 
afford  grateful  shelter  from  the  sun's  heat  But  this  is  not  all,  tor  whtm 
the  feasibility  of  growing  trees  upon  the  naked  plain  is  fairly  tested  the 
owners  of  lots  in  the  netgh'jorhood  will  imitate  the  good  example  and 
thus  not  only  secure  a  great  comfort  to  thumselvus  but  a  claim  to  the 
gratimde  of  those  who  may  hereafter  travel  our  du<ty  <(tree  v"  *'Naked 
piaio"  around  the  co:ner  of  Spring  and  Second  streets  sounds  antedilu- 
vian now. 

WalUce,  after  a  few  months' teaching,  laid  down  the  birch  and  mounted 
the  editorial  tripod.  Tic  tripod  seemed  t  ■  be  an  uncomf'rtable  seat  for 
him.  He  g'lt  off  in  a  short  time.  Of  his  subs.^que  t  career  I  know  noth- 
ing. William  McKee,  an  e-Jucatcd  young  Iii^hioao,  succeeded  him  in  the 
school.  McKee  was  a  successlul  teacher.  The  school  gfunds  had  been 
Inclosed  by  a  Mexican  picket  fence — a  structure  made  of  will  .w  pole^  for 
pickets,  inteiLwined  with  rawhide  thongs.  The  shade  trees  ^rew,  but  when 
the  green  feed  on  the  plains  around  diied  up,  the  innumerable  ground  squir- 
rels that  infested  the  mesa  made  a  raid  on  the  trees,  ate  the  leaves  and  girdled 
the  branches.  McK.ee,  to  protect  hi&  trees,  procured  a  shotgun,  and  when 
he  was  not  teaching  the  young  idea  how  to  s'  oot  he  was  shooting  S4]uirr«la. 
1'hcre  wai  one  man  who  did  not  appreciate  McKee's  efforts  :o  grow  shade 
trees  on  the  "naked  plain"  around  the  schoolliouse;  and  he  was  the  ''horn* 
^^H  bre"  that  had  the  ontract  of  supplying  the  .school  with  water.  There  was 
^^1  DO  water  system  then  and  water  lot  d>jmestic  puipuseswas  supplied  by  water 
W  caniers  from  caits.  McKee  used  water  from  the  school  barrel  to  water  the 
I  trees.     The  paisano  who  supplied  the    water  repotted  to  the   trustees  that 

I  that  gringo  "maestro  dc  cscuela"  (schoolmaster)  was  wasting  the  public 
I  water  in  trying  to  grow  trees  on  the  mesa,  where  "any  fool  might  know  they 
I  wouldn't  grow."  The  trees  did  survive  the  squirtels  and  the  watemum'a 
I  wrath.  The  older  residents  will  recollect  the  black  locu-its  that  shnded  the 
I  Spring-street  front  of  the  school  lot  They  were  cut  down  in  1^84.  McKee 
I  long  since  laid  down  the  birch.  He  now  rcsiJcs  in  Sao  Francisco,  a  h.ile 
^^^  and  hearty  old  bachelor.     The  late  Thomas  J.  Scully  wat,  the  Nestor  of  L^« 


ta      niSTOIilCAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  OAUFORNfA. 


• 


Angeles  tcaclicis  in  length  of  service  in  the  county.  JicuHy  was  a  graduate 
of  the  Toronto  Normut  School  aaO  was  probably  the  first  normal  graduate 
to  teach  in  our  schools.  He  be^an  teaching  in  ihe  city  in  1853,  but  soon 
turned  his  atlention  to  the  country  schools.  There  were  only  three  dis- 
tricts in  the  county  then  and  the  amount  of  public  funds  received  by  e«cb| 
was  small.  Scully  would  teach  in  one  until  the  funds  were  exhausted,  ihea] 
move  on  to  the  next  and  so  on  until  h.-  harj  made  the  rounds.  In  (his  way^ 
he  was  enabled  to  give  alt  the  schools  of  the  county  a  uniform  system  and  no 
change  of  teachers.  Scully,  in  his  ]jcdagogical  peregrinations,  riached  a 
certain  district  where,  not  heeding  the  adric«  of  the  late  Samuel  Weller, 
"beware  of  vidders,"  he  was  captivated  by  the  black  eyes  and  winning  smi'es 
of  a  little  widow.  Scully  laid  down  the  birch,  msrricd  and  turned  hisatten- 
tion  to  culltvaling  his  wife's  vireyord  and  making  wine.  He  found  a  home 
market  for  a  considerable  quantity  of  his  wine  crop  and  domestic  infelicity 
followed.  A  social  eruption  threw  Scully  outside  of  the  family  circle.  Ho 
laid  down  the  wine  cup,  reformed,  took  up  the  birch  and  waved  it  success- 
fully until  his  death,  which  occurred  last  December.  He  taught  in  the 
county  over  thirty  years.  He  was  a  genial,  wh.jle  souled  man  and  was  well 
liked  by  all  who  knew  him. 

At  the  close  o^  the  schools  in  June,  1856,  forty  years  ago,  the  first 
public  school  examination  ever  held  in  the  city  was  conducted  by  William 
McKcc  and  Miss  Louisa  Hayes.  The  boys  declaimed  and  read  comp.-'si- 
tions,  and  Michael  Sansevain  performed  some  feats  in  mental  arithmetic. 
"The  young  ladies  in  Misi  Hayes's  department  were  elegantly  dressed,  and 
formed  an  assemblage  as  remaikaLIc  as  well  for  beauty  as  for  intelligence,*^ 
says  the  bachelor  editor  o(  the  Star.  ''A  number  of  well-written  composi- 
tions were  read  in  a  graceful  and  effective  manner.  Where  all  were  excel- 
lent,  it  may  seem  invidious  to  mention  name>,  but  wc  think  the  following 
young  ladies  were  conspl-iaous  for  general  proficiency;  Misses  Mary  Wheeler, 
Lucinda  Maey,  Margaret  Brody,  Louisa  Hoover,  Natividad  Aguilar  " 
the  close  of  the  examinations  several  suscep 
charmed  with  the  proficiency  of  the  young 
donation  of  $122  to  buy  maps  and  glcl^i?-?, 
suspectiblc  young  gentlemen,  now  gra) 
they  should  chance  to  read  this,  recall  i' 
Angeles  long  ago. 

The  schoolhouse  north  of  the  PI 
completed  and  occupied  early  in 
l^aicd  on  Bath  street,  now  North 
street  was  widen;  d  and  extended, 
supplied  the  educational  needs  of  ti 
Plaza  was  more  centrally  located  l' 
at  the  lioic  being  the  center  of  the 


SCHOOLS  AND  SCHOOLMASTERS  OF  LOS  ANGELES. 


n 


The  first  teachers'  institute  was  organized  in  this  building,  October  31, 
1S70,  It  was  held  there  because  the  school  building  on  the  corner  of  Sprint; 
and  Second  streets  was  too  far  out  of  town  then.  I'Here  were  no  hotels  then 
souih  of  First  street,  and  the  business  center  of  the  city  was  on  Los  Angeles 
5'reet,  between  Arcadia  anU  Commerdal-  The  ofRccrsof  the  institute  were: 
William  M.  MrFadden,  County  Superintendent,  president;}.  M.  Guion  and 
T.  H.  Rose,  rice- presidents,  and  1'.  C.  Tonncr,  secretary.  All  these  have 
long  si-.ce  laid  down  the  pedagogical  birch.  The  entire  teaching  force  of 
the  dty  schools  consi^ed  of  five  teachers;  of  the  county,  thirtjr  (which 
included  the  area  now  in  Oran){e  ) 

The  institute  was  pronounced  a  decided  success  by  those  who  partici- 
pated in  it.  One  small  schoolro-^m  held  th«  members  and  the  audience^ 
and  still  there  was  room  for  more.  Hon,  O.  P.  Fitzgerald,  State  Superin- 
tendent ot  Public  Instruction,  now  Bishop  Fitigerald  of  the  M.  E.  Church 
South,  of  California,  was  present  An  amusini;  episode  occurred  at  this 
institute,  which  I  have  no  doubt  the  bishop  has  laujjhed  over  many  a  time, 
"for  he's  a  jolly  good  fellow."  A  certain  ex  pedagogue  known  as  Prof.  B., 
read  an  essay  on  "Scolding,"  Scarcely  had  he  taken  bis  seat  when  a  lady 
arose  andbe-^an  to  soundly  berate  the  professor.  Superintendent  Fitzgerald, 
who  was  presiding,  at  first  supposed  she  was  giving  an  object  lesson  in  scold- 
inf;,  to  illustrate  the  subject  of  the  essay,  but  when,  with  vehement  utter- 
ances she  denounced  the  professor  as  a  thief — "He  stole  my  well/'  Superin- 
tendent Fitzgerald,  in  riis  blandest  tones,  remar^ced:  "Madame,  I  do  no( 
find  your  exercise  down  on  the  programme,  and  I  shall  have  to  call  you  Co 
order."  Wc  all  regretted  that  Superintendent  Fitzgerald  did  not  ask  her  to 
explain  the  professor's  feat  in  physics,  the  carrying  off  of  her  well — a  hole  in 
the  ground.  The  disputants  have  long  since  gone  to  heaven,  where  we  hope 
all  ii  "well"  with  them.  The  Trouble  between  ihera  had  grown  out  of  dis- 
puted land  boundaries,  a  fruitful  source  then  of  neighborhood  quarrels. 

In  early  times  the  schoolmasters  had  the  profession  to  themselves.  As 
late  as  1^68  the  male  teachers  were  inthe  majority  in  the  county,  the  count 
standing,  schoolmasters,  17;  schoolmistresses,  10.  In  all  the  years  since 
then  the  masters  have  steadily  gone  down  in  relative  numbers  and  the  mis- 
tresses have  gone  up,  until  now  the  lords  of  creation  in  the  profession  are 
reduced  to  the  condition  foretold  by  the  old  prophet:  "When  seven  women 
shall  lay  hold  on  one  man,"  the  relative  numbers  in  the  profession  standing 
about  seven  female  to  one  male  teacher,  outside  of  the  high  schools. 

Dr.  Wm.  B.  Osburn  was  the  first  superintendent  of  the  Los  Angeles 
city  schools.  He  was  appointed  by  the  city  council,  June  4, 1855.  Osburn 
was  postmaster  at  the  time  of  his  appointment.  No  doubt  the  council 
selected  him  because  he  was  a  man  of  letters.     In  addition  to  the  duties  of 


M     mSTORWAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  OAUFORNIA. 


pgAmaster  aod  school  superintendent  he  conducted  an  auction  bouM.  He 
Kema  to  have  been  a  man  of  rersatlle  genius.  He  was  successively  phj* 
iician,  postmaster,  justice  of  the  peace,  councilman,  auctioneer  and  horti- 
culturist. Possibly  Bt  some  subsequent  period  in  bis  checkered  career  he 
may  have  wared  the  pedagogical  birch.  Among  his  duties  as  superintend, 
ent  he  was  required  to  examine  teachers,  grant  certificates,  visit  the  schools 
monthly  and  hold  public  school  examinations  yearly. 

AU  city  school  reports  of  late  years  give  Or.  Wm.  T.  Lucky  as  the  first 
superintendent  of  city  schools.  This  is  an  error.  Osburn  filled  the  office 
nearly  twenty  years  before  Dr.  Luclty's  time.  The  Kev.  Dr.  Etias  Biidsell 
also  filled  the  office  for  some  time.  The  office  was  abolished  in  1S67,  and 
created  again  in  1873,  when  Dr.  Lucky  became  superintendent 

Tlie  High  School  was  organized  in  1S73  by  Dr.  William  T.  Lucky.  It 
was  the  first,  and  for  a  number  of  years  the  only  High  School  in  Southern 
Calfornia.  It  met  with  considerable  opposition  at  first,  on  account  of  the 
additional  expense,  but  prospered,  all  the  same.  Times  were  changing. 
There  was  a  "new  heaven  and  a  new  earth"  in  Southern  California,  and  "old 
things  were  passing  away  and  all  things  were  becoming  new." 


aOV.  CASPAR  DE  PORTOLA; 

OK  THE  STORV  OF  TUB  FIRST  SETTLEMENT  OF  ALTA  CALIFORSIA. 


BV  H.  D.  BARROWS. 


[Read  Nov.  9,  1896.] 

Notwithflanding  the  fact  that  California  was  discovered  by  C>bri11o,  a. 
navigator  sailing  under  the  Spanish  flag,  more  than  350  years  ago,  no  serious 
attempt  was  made  by  Spain  to  take  possession  of  Upper  or  Atta  California 
till  1768.  It  was  during  this  year  that  in  pursuance  of  orders  from  (he  King, 
Carlos  III,  a  movement  was  set  on  foot  in  Mexico  or  New  Spain,  as  the 
country  was  then  known,  by  the  Viceroy  de  Croix,  having  for  its  object  the 
colonization  of  the  territory  lying  between  the  Peninsular  and  the  British 
possessioni.  This  movement  was  on  a  somewhat  extensive  scale,  and  at) 
account  of  its  progress  and  fin.il  success,  and  of  the  more  prominent  actors 
who  took  part  in  the  same,  shou'd  not  be  without  interest  to  the  members  of 
this  society.  Some  of  those  persons  were  striking  and  unique  characters. 
One  of  these  was  Don  Jos6  deGalvez,  an  intcndcnteof  the  royal  array,  Visi- 
UdoT  General  of  New  Spain,  and  member  of  the  "Council  of  the  Indies," 
who  had  come  to  Mexico  from  Spain  in  1761. 

De  Galvez  was  a  Dative  of  Malaga.  Being  a  man  of  grest  ability  and 
decision  of  character,  he  performed  very  efficient  and  valuable  services  for 
the  crown  in  the  new  world. 

Being  invested  with  praclically  unlimited  powers  in  New  Spain  by  the 
king  and  by  the  viceroy,  el  Marques  de  Crtnx,  de  Galvez  in  order  to  carry 
out  the  known  policy  or  positive  directions  of  the  Spanish  govcrnmentt 
devised  and  set  on  foot  the  expedition  from  U  Ba}a  California,  having  for  its 
object  the  occupation  of  San  Diego  and  Monterey.  There  were  already 
several  flourishing  missions  on  the  peninsula  at  that  time.  This  expeditioa 
consisted  of  four  divisions,  two  of  which  went  by  land  and  two  by  water. 
The  latter  were  conveyed  north  from  La  Paz  and  Cape  St.  Lucas,  on  two 
vessels,  the  San  Carlos  and  the  San  Antonio,  which  were  brought, 
by  order  of  de  Galvez,  from  Son  Blaz  for  the  purpose,  under  command  of 
Captains  Vila  and  Perez  of  the  royal  navy,  both  experienced  seamen. 

The  land  divisions  were  respectively  under  Gasj>ttr  de  PortoM,  (at  that 
time  Governor  of  Baja  or  old  California,)  and  Captain  Rivera  y  Moncada, 
who  collected  such  suppUes  at  the  mission  of  Santa  Maria  on  the  northern 
frontier,  as  could  be  furnished  by  the  various  mtsdons  of  the  peninsula. 
An  extra  military  force  of  25  Catalan  soldiers  from  Guaymas,  under  Lieut. 
Pedro  Fages,  [the  same  who  afterwards  became  governor,)  was  ordered  to 
join  the  sea  division. 

Another  prominent  person  accompanying  the  expedition,  and  who  in 
aAer  years  became  eminetit  in  the  ecclesiastical  annals  of  the  new  proviDce, 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOVTHhR.V  CAUhORSIA. 

was  ihe  father  presidsni,  Jumpcro  Scrra,  besides  whom  ihere  were  several 
other  priests,  including  Padre  Jiun  Crcs|)I.  etc. 

Church  furniiure,  vesimcnts,  etc.,  were  al»  talcen,  as  missions  were  td 
be  estsbli&hod  at  several  iKiints,  especially  at  San  Diego  and  Monterey. 

By  the  wise  foTcihouj;ht  of  Visitador  dc  Galrcr,  many  kinds  of  domes- 
tic aoimalis,  and  useful  leeds  and  plants  were  talcen  to  the  new  province, 
where,  until  then  they  were  wholly  unknown,  but  where,  in  after  years,  ihey 
so  mulitplied,  under  favorable  conditions  of  soil  and  climate,  as  to  make  the 
new  miisions,  which  were  established  for  spiritual  or  religious  purposes, 
independently  rich  in  material  wealth  in  s{ute  of  themselves. 

The  first  land  party  under  Capt.  Rivera  y  Moncada  set  out  from 
VelicatA  in  March  1S69,  for  San  Diego  where  it  arrived  in  the  fo'loning 
May. 

The  second  section  by  land  under  Got.  de  PonolJi,  arrived  in  the  latter 
pari  of  June.  They  found  that  t)oth  the  San  Carlos  and  San  Antonio  had 
been  in  port  some  time,  and  thit  a  great  portion  of  their  crews  were  sick,  or 
bad  died  from  the  scurvy,  which  ha4  broken  out  in  violent  fsrm.  Of  the 
ninety  sailors  and  soldier.1,  etc.,  of  the  two  ships,  more  than  two-thirds  died. 
The  surgeon,  Dr.  Pierre  Prat,  (a  Frenchman,)  attended  the  sick,  who  were 
moved  on  shore  and  placed  under  the  protecion  of  tents  or  r.thcr  temporary 
shelter. 

Meanwhile  the  first  land  party  opportunely  arrived,  and  greatly  assisted 
in  the  care  of  the  uck;  all  the  well  were  kept  busy  caring  for  the  sick  until 
the  arrival  of  Gov.  de  Portolji  and  president  Serra,  with  ihe  second  land 
party,  toward  the  last  of  June. 

The  Governor  kept  a  dirtry  of  this  journey,  which  in  MS  is  stiU  extant. 

After  celebrating  a  thanksgiving  mass,  in  which  about  125  persons  took 
part,  of  the  200  and  upwards,  who  had  started  from  la  Baja,  Gov,  de 
Portola  and  Capt.  Vila  concluded  to  dispatch  the  San  Antonio  to  San  Bias 
for  supplies  and  for  sailors  to  reman  both  the  vessels;  whilst  an  expediiion 
headed  by  the  Governor  proceeded  north  by  land  to  Monterey.  The  San 
Antonio  sailed  south  July  9,  and  Gov.  de  PonoU's  party  Eianed  on  their 
northern  journey,  July  14.  There  were  about  sixty  men  in  the  party, 
including  besides  the  Governor,  Captain  Rii-era  y  Moncada,  and  Fages, 
Lieut.  Ortega,  Friars  Crespi  and  Gome«,  engineer  Costan5d>  etc. 

This  expedition  went  as  far  north  as  San  Francisco  bay,  hut  failed  to 
recognize  Monterey  bay  from  the  data  in  its  possession,  (as  described  from 
the  seaward  by  the  early  navigators,)  and  it  returned  to  San  Diego,  January 
24,  1870.  Gov.  de  PortolJi,  discouraged  by  the  many  hardshiiw  and  severe 
sickness  of  the  colonists,  was  inclined  to  abandon  San  Diego.  But  the 
tmval  in  March  of  the  San  Antonio  with   abundant  supplies,  thus  relieving 


GOV.  CASPAR  DE  PORTOLA. 


the  pr:$sing  necessiriei  of  the  XxK'At  co'.ony,  cSang-d  the  aspect  of  affairs  for 
the  better,  rcry  matcriaMy.  Besides,  fre«h  orders  catDc  from  the  Viceroy 
and  from  ce  Golvez  to  continue  the  occupation^  and  setitemcnt  of  the 
country. 

Accordingly  the  Governor  tn  April  sent   Ihe  San  Antonio  northwardi 
and   set   out  himself  with  a  party   of  twenty-five  or   thirty  men,  including^ 
Fagcs  and  Friar  Crespl,  to  renew  the  search  for  Monterey,  which   he  found^ 
in  May,    The  San  Antonio,  with  the  father  President  Serra,  Co&tan«6,  Dr. 
Pra*,  etc,  arrived  a  few  days  later. 

On  the  3rd  of  June,  t  ;;o,  Gov.  de  Portolfc,  after  the  priests  had  said 
mass,  took  formal  possession  in  the  name  of  thekin){  of  Spain.     Across  still 
standing  near  the  edge  of  the  waters  of  the  bay,  on  which  is  inscribed:  June 
3,  1770,  is  supposed  to  mark   the  spot  where  Father  Juiilpcio  Serra  cele- 
brated mass  over  126  years  ago,  which  also  Is  supposed  to  be  the  identical 
spot  where  the  Franciscan  friars  who  accompanied  Viscaino' s exploring  expedL 
tion  in   1602  celebrated  mass — almost  three  centuries  ago.     Having  tbusf 
formally  taken  possessi-^o  of  the  country,  and  estibtished  a  military  post  oc 
presidio,  and  mission,  nith  Father  Serra  in  charge  of  the  latter  as  minister, 
and  Father  Crespl  as  associate  mioisi^r,  Got.  dc  Portolii  turned  the  govern.* 
ment  of  the  new  establish  moils  at  Monterey  and  San  Diego  over  to  Capt 
Pediro  Fages  in  pursuance  of  previous  orders  from  de  Galvez.  and  then 
embarked  on  the  San  Antonio,  July  9,  for  San  Ulas,  where  he  arrived  Aug- 
ust I. 

News  of  the  occupation  of  Monterey  reached  the  City  of  Mexico  in 
August  and  caused  great  rejoicing  at  the  capital.  De  Galvez  and  Mceroy 
de  Croix  received  congratulations  in  the  name  of  the  king  for  their  success* 
ful  exlensijn  of  the  Spanish  dominions. 

Of  the  personality  and  after  career  of  Got.  de  Poitollk  and  of  his  more 
prominent  co-laborers  In  the  occupation  a^d  colonization  of  Alta  California, 
a  few  words  should  be  added:  Gov.  de  Portol^,  who  had  been  a  captain  of 
dragoons  in  the  Spanish  aimy,  and  who  was  the  5rst  governor  of  Baja  as 
weil  as  of  Alta  California,  made  a  record  as  a  faithful,  honest  official  of  fair 
ability.  Nine  years  after  he  left  California,  he  was  Governor  of  Puebla, 
after  which  nothing  is  known  of  his  career  or  of  the  date  of  his  death. 

The  Viceroy  dc  Croix,  who  co-operated  with  De  Galvei,  supporting  all 
his  measures,  died  in  1786,  at  an  advanced  age,  but  he  was  relieved  as  vice- 
roy of  New  Spain  in  177 1|  and  was  succeeded  by  Bucareli,  whose  term  as 
viceroy  continued  from  the  latter  date  to  1779,  and  under  whose  wise 
admin  i  St  ration  the  new  settlements  were  piosperous. 

It  is  not  au  easy  matter  for  the  Californian  of  these  last  years  of  the 
nineteenth  century  to  pictun;  to  himself  the  Calif jroia  which  Qtcs&Ck^ft^^^AK^^ 


18      HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  OALIFORMA. 


to  those  5rst  settlers  of  San  Dtegi  and  Monterey,  a  century  and  a  quarter 
ago.  They  did  n-<t  find  a  single  white  man  in  this  hitherto  uncxplnred 
region.  Instead,  there  were  scattered  throughout  the  various  valleys 
traversed  by  them  in  their  journey  northirdrd  from  San  Uiego  to  the  bay  of 
San  Francisco,  many  thousands  of  halt-naked,  degraded  Indians.  There 
was  probably  not  a  single  human  habitation  throughoui  ihe  entire  territory 
that  dvilized  people  would  dignify  by  the  name  of  "a  dwelling  house"  fit  for 
man  to  live  in.  Neither  is  it  probable  that  the  new  settleri  found  In  this 
then  utterly  wild  region,  either  ganada  mayor  or  menor,  that  is  to  say  horses, 
horned  cattle,  mules,  sheep,  goats  or  swire,  Userut  grains  and  vegetables, 
fruit  trees  and  grape  vines,  excepting  a  few  wild  vines,  were  unknown  to  the 
native  wild  Indians  tl'l  they  were  brought  hither  by  the  Spaniards  or  Mexi- 
cans. 

Of  the  wild  animals,  such  as  deer,  antelope,  elk,  bear,  and  coyotes, 
wolves  and  California  lions,  wild  geese,  ducks  and  quail,  etc,  there  was  an 
abundance. 

No  wonder,  when  the  supplies  brought  by  the  two  small  vessels  of  the 
colonists  fell  short,  that  the  scurvy  should  have  raged  virulently  and  with 
such  fatal  results,  for  where,  on  shore,  could  prii[>cr  shelter  or  adequate 
remedies  be  found? 

Of  course,  as  soon  as  the  vegetables  and  fruits  and  useful  grains  brought 
by  the  settlers,  could  be  grown,  there  was  abundance.  But  till  then  the 
deprivations  of  the  new-comers  must  have  been  very  severe. 

The  country  was  then  almost  treeless,  presenting  a  very  different  appear- 
ance from  what  it  does  now,  or  has  done  since  the  introductioo  of  the  euca- 
lyptus tree  from  Australia  in  recent  years. 

The  colonists  at  first  could  only  communicate  with  the  aborigines  whom 
they  found  here  in  such  large  numbers,  by  means  of  signs.  The  latter  had 
no  written  language,  and  hardly  even  a  history  that  was  worth  preserving,  for 
nearly  »ll  the  tribes  were  of  a  very  low  order  of  intelligence,  scarcely,  if  at 
all,  above  the  beasts  of  the  field. 

Considering  the  missi'in  establishments  from  an  economic  standpoint, 
they  may  be  accounted  a  success;  for  every  one  of  them  became  rich.  But 
there  may  be  differences  of  opinion  as  to  their  success  in  civilizing  the  Cali- 
fornian  Digger  Indian,  i.  e,  in  developing  in  hira  even  a  low  grade  of  citi- 
zenship or  capacity  of  self-sovernment,  albeit  the  good  fathers  labored  faith- 
fully in  his  behalf  for  more  than  sixty  years.  Unlike  the  Aztecs  and  other 
tribes  of  Mexico,  and  Central  and  South  America,  he  showed,  during  that 
long  period,  but  little  capacity  for  civilitation,  either  high  or  low.  But  tbil 
phase  of  the  queilion  I  leave  for  others  to  discuss. 


One  of  the  earliest  English-speaking  seulers  ol  the  Loi  Angeles  v;illey, 
was  Michiel  White,  or  "Miguel  Blanco,"  as  he  was  knowa  by  the  native 
Californians.  Mr.  While,  whom  I  knew  well,  and  from  whom  I  obmined 
the  data  on  which  this  sketch  ia  based,  in  tSSi,  wa»  born  in  the  Kentish 
town  of  Margate,  England,  February  lo,  iSoi.  He  left  home  at  the  age  of 
i4>  OD  a  whaler,  the  "Perseverance,"  Wm.  Mott,  muster,  and  came  out  to  the 
far-away  Pacific  ocean.  He  first  touched  the  Cali:ornia  coast  at  Caps  St. 
Lucas,  in  1817.  He  sailed,  on  diCTerent  vessels  along  the  Mexican  coast, 
etc.,  till  1836,  when  he  went  to  the  Sandwich  Islands  the  second  time,  hav- 
ing gone  there  in  1816.  In  1828,  as  caplun  of  his  own  vessel,  the  "Dolly," 
he  eojjaged  in  the  coasting  trade,  visiting  Bodega,  then  occupied  by  the 
Rusdans,  and  from  thence  coming  to  San  Francisco,  Munterey,  Santa  Bar- 
bara,  San  Pedro  and  San  DiegOi  and  then  back  to  Santa  Barbara,  where  he 
went  ashore  lostay.  Here  he  bought  sixtyfour  horses,  which  the  "Dolly,* 
in  charge  of  the  mate,  took  to  the  Sandwich  Islands.  Mr.  White  stayed  some 
time  in  Santa  Barbara,  and  then  left  for  Los  Angeles,  arriving  there  the  last 
day  of  the  year  1829.  There  was  a  revolution  that  year,  headed  by  Solis, 
an  officer  at  Monterey,  against  Gov.  Echeandia.  SoUs  and  about  sixty  fol- 
lowers, came  down  as  far  as  Santa  Barbara,  where  they  were  compelled  to 
Buriender  to  the  regularly  constituted  authorities.  The  trouble  was  that 
Solis  and  his  adherents  could  not  get  their  pay  for  services,  etc.,  Echeandia, 
they  said,  having  gambled  away  the  money  that  should  have  come  to  them. 

Mr.  White  told  me  that  the  only  English-speaking  foreigners  he  found 
here  when  he  arrived,  were  John  Temple,  George  Rice  and  Josejih  Chap- 
man. Temple  and  Rice  had  a  store  then  near  where  the  Dowcey  block  now 
|flUnd9.  Mr.  White  said  that  Los  Angeles  at  that  time  was  a  comparatively 
small  place.  There  were  only  a  lew  scattered  houses  besides  the  church, 
near  theJPlaza,  with  a  few  "huertcros"  or  persons  having  gardens  here  and 
there  on  the  lower  or  irrigable  lands;  the  San  Gabriel  Mission  being  then, 
and  for  several  years  after,  the  center  of  population  and  activity. 

Vicente  Sanchez  and  Jos6  Antonio  Carrillo  were  prominent  Californians. 
Guillermo  Cotaand  Alvaradocach  had  houses  north  of  First  street,  between 
Main  and  Los  Angeles  streets.  Juan  Bal'.esteros  lived  nearly  opposite  and 
west  of  the  property  formerly  occupied  by  the  Sisters  of  Charity,  on  North 
Alameda  street.  I'alomares  lived  just  below  the  "Toma"  or  dam.  The 
bottom  lands  of  both  the  Los  Angeles  and  :San  Gabriel  rivers  at  that  tim«>, 
were  like  a  "Monte"  or  "Bosque;"  and  as  very  little  water  was  taken  out  of 
either  river  for  irrigation,  willows  extended  along  their  channels  to  a  much 
greater  extent  than  at  present.  Bears  and  wolves,  as  well  as  coyotes,  were 
then  very  plenty  in  the  valley. 


i 


30    BISTORWAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  CAUFOUNIA. 

Mr.  White  said  that  he  was  told  that  the  L's  Angeles  river  changed  its 
course  a  few  years  befoic  he  caroc,  from  Alameda  street  to  in  present  chtn- 
ncl,  and  that  many  years  ago,  as  he  was  informed,  it  used  to  empty  into  the 
Cicneg^i,  and  5nd  its  outlet  into  the  oce«n  in  winter  freshets,  by  way  of  Bal- 
lona  creek. 

Mr.  White  informed  toe  that  at  the  time  he  came  here  the  San  Gahticl 
Mission  was  one  of  ths  richest  in  California,  in  cattle  and  vineyards,  and  in 
mor.ey. 

There  were  slso  la'ije  numbers  of  Indians  under  its  control.  He  said 
that  it  employed  ovor  one  hundred  Indian  vaqueros  to  brand  its  cattle. 
Padre  J056  Sanchez,  a  native  of  Spain  and  a  very  well  educated  friar,  had 
charge  of  the  mission  at  that  period,  and  until  his  death  in  iSjj.  All 
accounts  agree  that  I'adre  Sanches  wms  a  very  f>ood  man,  and  a  wi&e  man 
ager  of  the  extensive  establishment  under  his  charge,  which  had  been 
planned  and  built  up  largely  by  thai  other  historical  character,  Father  Sal- 
videa.  Tire  mission  then  had  several  large  vineyards  and  orchards,  end  it 
made  wine,  brandy,olive  oil,  and  many  other  things  for  the  use  of  employ  s 
and  neophytes.  It  also  owned  the  mill,  (el  Moli<-o  )  in  after  years  owned 
and  occupied  by  Col.  K.ewen,  and  now  I  believe  the  property  of  Col. 
Mabery.  This  mill  was  built  by  Antonio  Jos^  Rochi,  a  Portuguese,  for  the 
Padres. 

Mr.  While  thought  the  Padres  of  San  Gabriel  mission  moved  from  the 
old  to  the  new  mission,  about  five  years  after  the  founding  of  the  old,  (in 
1771.)  But  they  uscda  ch3i>el  or  "capi.Ia"  at  the  new  location,  and  did 
not  build  the  present  church  edifice  till  years  after,  or,  as  he  thought  till 
four  or  five  year*  before  he  came,  which  would  have  been  about  1S34.  But 
Got.  Pio  Pico  told  me  that  he  thought  it  was  built  in  1S30. 

The  "capiila"  or  chapel  was  on  the  north  side  of  the  square.  The  pre«- 
ent  mission  church  was  built  on  the  southeast  corner  of  this  square.  On 
the  east  and  south  sides  of  the  square,  there  were  rows  of  adobe  buildings, 
which  were  used  as  dormitories  or  as  store-houses  for  wine,  oil,  etc.  The 
fathers  lived  in  those  on  the  south  side  and  adjoining  the  church. 

When  Mr.  \\*hiic  came,  he  said  there  was  a  half-breed  Indian  by  the 
name  cf  Jos6  Maria  livirg  at  wl  at  is  known  as  the  Chino  ranch.  He  wat 
there  in  charge  of  the  cattle  bel.mgtng  to  the  mission.  As  he  had  curly  hair 
he  was  called  **cl  Chino,"  and  that  is  how  his  p'ace  came  to  be  known  as  the 
place  or  the  rancho  of  "el  Chino,"  a  name  that  it  retainslo  this  day.  "Cuca- 
munga"  was  an  Indian  word.  The  ranch  by  that  name  was  granted  to 
Tiburcio  T&pia.  Victor  Prudhomme  married  his  daughter  and  became  the 
owner.  Col.  Isaac  "Williams  was  the  former  owner,  and  I  believe,  grantee 
of  the  "Rancho  del  ChinoV*  at  his  death  it  wen',  to  his  heirs,  and  wa»  by 
them  sold  to  Richard  Gird. 


i. 


niSTOmCAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  GAUFOUKIA.      ^l 


Mr.  AVhite  obtained  a  concession  of  50a  vaias  square,  just  norlh  of  the 
oaitsion  which  contained  inexhaustible  springs  of  living  water.  This  grant 
was  just  west  f>(  the  Tiius  and  Hose  properties.  Mr.  White  went  there  with 
his  family  in  1843,  and  lived  there  many  years.  He  married  la  1831  a 
dau)[hter  of  Serjeant  Guillemi  who  had  been  an  oftccr  under  the  King  of 
Spain,  stationed  at  Sin  Hicgo,  xnd  Dofi»  Kulalia  his  wife.  The  latter  was 
the  person  who  was  reported  to  be  the  oldest  woman  in  the  world  at  the 
time  of  her  death  a  few  years  aijo,  andabout  whom  there  was  much  talk  in 
the  papers.  I  knew  Dofia  Eulalia  very  well,  as  I  used  to  see  her  at  one 
period  almost  daily,  some  thirly-five  or  forty  years  ago.  From  various  data 
I  believe  she  was  not  over  one  hundred  years  of  age  at  the  time  of  her  death. 
Col  Warner,  who  knew  her  well,  and  also  knew  ra.tny  persons,  as  I  did, 
who  had  been  acquainted  with  her  when  she  was  a  eoiaparalively  young 
woman,  agreed  with  me  that  she  could  oot  have  b:»n  much  if  any  over  one 
hundred  years  old.  I  remember  that  for  some  years  before  her  death  she 
tewed  without  glasses.  She  was  of  a  kindly  genial  disposition  and  was 
respected  and  beloved  by  all  who  ktiew  her.  There  roust  be  many  of  her 
descendants  now  living  in  Southern  CaUiornia.  Mi.  \V*hite  said  he  did  not 
gel  any  letters  from  his  people  in  England  for  about  eighi<?en  years  alter  he 
left  home  I'be  Cotif'jiniaas  in  those  times  only  heard  from  the  outside 
world  by  the  occasional  Boston  trading  ships  which  used  to  come  here  "hide- 
drougUing,"  and  by  whalers  that  would  sometimes  s  op  at  some  pott  on  the 
coast,  on  their  way  down  Ciotn  the  North  in  the  fall  of  the  year. 

Mr.  White  sold  his  vineyard  and  orchard  several  years  ago  to  Mr.  L.  H_ 
Titus,  and  moved  to  Los  Angeles,  where  he  lived  with  his  family  till  his 
death*  which  occurred  Februar;  aS,  1S85. 


THE  RENEGADE   INDIANS  OF  SAN  GABRIEL. 


BY  rXASK  J.  rOLLKT. 


[Rxbacts  from  Unpublished  MSS.  of  ihe  late  B.  D.  Wilson.] 


^Read  June  i,  1896.] 


( Benjamin  DitIs  WILsob  wui  bom  in  NuhTiUe.  Tcnnnsec.  December,  t,  1811. 
Hec/ime  10  California  in  1841  b^  way  of  New  Uerico.  He  took  apromfnemt  part 
in  ptiUic  nfTBiTS,  both  under  Merlcan  and  AmerlcaD  role.  He  was  tlic  first  County 
Clerk  of  Los  AiiRclcs  county  after  tbc  orftauiiation  of  the  State,  He  wa«  Afayor  of 
IiOaAngvlea  cUy,  and  Kerwd  two  term*  a*  State  Senator.  lie  was  appointed 
Indian  agent  of  the  aoathero  district  of  California  by  Pre&ideut  PiUmorc  and 
unsted  Ccn.  Beale  In  forming  the  rcserration  at  Fort  Tejon.  He  died,  March  ti, 
I878)  J.  M.  G. 

The  fact  renegada  Indians  existed,  prima  facie  presupposes  their  ill- 
treatment  by  the  Mission  fathers.  It  has  been  so  charged  and  denied  since 
the  time  ot  La  Perouse.  The  full  truth  is  yet  unknown.  Mo  rule  can  be 
given  other  than  thit  of  caution;  many  men  at  different  times  and  places  act 
dilTereni])',  and  so  each  case  ought  to  be  solved  from  the  testimony  pcrti- 
nant  thereto.  Only  a  few  facts  are  capable  of  proof.  It  is  known  that 
several  of  the  renegade  ne.ophytec  became  locally  celebrated.  In  times  of 
excitement  the  priests  enforced  strict  discipline  in  the  exercise  of  judgment 
and  ranch  men  were  called  in  to  assist  in  recapturing  those  who  ted  in 
raiding  stock. 

Prior  to  the  introduction  of  evidence  it  is  well  to  remember  the  mis- 
sion, presidio  and  pueblo  governments,  and  how  they  often  clashed.  The  sol- 
diers and  colonists  were  not  always  to  the  priests'  choice;  and  there  are  in- 
stances of  earnest  remonstrances  by  the  priests  at  the  scandalous  acts  of 
many  who  came  in  contact  with  the  Indians. 

A  convened  Indian  lost  caste  with  his  tribe;  he  was  under  the  spell  of 
the  church  and  therefore  to  break  from  it  and  win  the  regard  of  his  tribes- 
men required  some  decision  of  character.  Such  men  made  enemies  to  ba 
feared  by  the  white  men. 

Instances  of  Indian  revolts  and  attacks  on  the  nisnions  may  be  easily 
collected  from  the  books.  Therefore  no  citations  are  given  nor  effort  made 
at  present  towards  a  more  graphic  note  and  what  follows  is  offered  and  is  to 
be  taken  only  as  a  contribution  to  the  general  subject  The  quotations 
have  not  appeared  in  print  and  yet  they  were  prepared  by  Mr.  Wilson,  of 
San  Gabriel,  for  publication.  It  is  not  safe  historic  criticism  to  assume  the 
todiaai  cowardly.    The  Cahuillas  attacked  the  Irving  party,  maintained  a 


THE  RENEGADE  INDIANS  OF  SAN  GABRIEL, 


23 


cavalry  duet  all  day  snd  towards  evening  drove  the  desperadoes  into  a  blind 
ravine,  Trom  which  only  one  man  returned  alive.  Judge  Benjamin  Hayes 
took  the  icstimonv  at  the  inquest.  The  verdict  was:  "Edward  Irving  and 
other  while  men,  names  unknown,  were  killed  by  the  Cahuilla  Indians,  the 
killing  was  justifiable." 

The  (Kiriiculars  of  this  celebrated  case  are  easily  accessible.  Ub- 
doubicdly  the  verdict  was  correcL 

Wilson's  testimony  as  to  their  bravery  is  similar.  He  vasan  old  and  expe* 
rienced  Indian  fi^ht^rand  assisted  the  authorities  at  San  Gabriel  in  recaptuT* 
ing  runaway  and  renegade  Indians.  He  is  not  asliamed  to  recount  that  sev- 
eral timeb  he  and  all  the  men  he  had  in  assistance  between  here  and  the 
present  Riverside  county,  were  badly  defeated. 

The  first  extract  from  his  MS.  is  about  the  renowned  Indian  desperado 
Joaquin, 

Wilson  had  been  in  search  of  the  tribe  harboring  ihe  renegades,  when 
suddenly  upon  emcrgiug  into  an  open  plain  he  discovered  a  small  nutaber 
of  Indians. 

"The  leading  man  of  the  four  happened  to  he  the  very  man  of  all  others 
I  was  seeking  for.  The  first  marauder,  Joaquin,  who  had  been  tiised  as  a 
page  of  the  church  in  San  Gabriel  Mission,  and  for  his  depredations  and 
ottllawry  bore  on  his  person  the  mark  of  the  mission,  i.  c,  one  of  his  ears 
cropped  off  and  the  iron  brand  on  his  hip.  This  is  the  only  instance  I  ever 
saw  or  heard,  of  of  that  kind;  and  th^t  marking  had  not  been  done  at  the 
MisMon,  but  at  one  of  the  ranches — El  Chino,  by  the  m.ayor  domo.  \Vhile 
in  conversation  with  Joaquin  the  command  was  ccming  on,  and  he  then  be* 
came  convinced  that  we  were  on  a  campaign  against  hira  and  his  people.  It 
was  evident  before  that  he  had  taken  me  for  a  traveler.  Immediately  thatj 
he  discovered  the  true  slate  of  things  he  whipped  from  his  quiver  .in  arrow,^ 
strung  it  on  his  bow,  and  left  ooihing  for  me  to  do  but  to  kill  him  in  self- 
defense.  Wc  both  discharged  our  weapons  at  the  same  time.  I  had  no 
chance  to  raise  the  gun  to  my  shoulder,  but  fired  it  from  my  hand.  His 
shot  took  effect  to  ray  right  shoulder  and  mine  in  bis  breast.  I'he  sh^ck  of 
his  arrow  in  my  shoulder  caused  me  to  involuntarily  let  my  gun  drop,  my. 
■hot  knocked  him  down  disabled,  but  he  discharged  at  me  a  tirade  of  abusej 
in  the  Spanish  language  such  as  I  never  heard  surpassed.. 

I  was  on  mule  back,  and  got  down  to  pick  op  my  gun,  by  this  time  my 
command  arrived  at  the  spot.  The  other  three  Indians  were  making  off  over 
the  plains,  1  ordered  my  men  to  capture  tbem  alive  but  the  Indians  resisted 
stoutly  and  rclused  to  the  last  to  surrender,  and  wounded  several  of  our 
horses  and  two  or  three  men,  and  had  to  be  killed.  Those  three  men 
actually   fought  »gbty  men   in   open  plain  till   they   were  put  to  death. 


inSTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  CAU/^O/fX/A. 


During  the  fight  jaiquin  laid  on  the  ground  uttering  curse  and  abuse 
against  tKe  Spanish  race  and  pcr>ple.  I  discovered  that  I  was  shot  wttli  % 
poisoned  arrow  and  rode  down  some  500  yards  to  the  river.  Some  of  my 
men  on  returning  and  finding  that  Joaquin  was  not  dc>d,  finished  hira.  I 
had  to  pf  ceed  immcdiattrly  to  lh«  r^ic  of  my  w.'>und.  There  was  with  me 
a  Comanche  Indian,  a  truity  man  who  had  acccrtapanicd  me  from  New 
Mexico  lo  California.  The  only  remedy  wc  tcncw  of  was  the  sucking  cf  th^ 
poison  with  the  motuh  out  of  the  wound,  indeed  there  is  no  other  remedy 
known  even  now.  I  h:ive  frequently  seen  the  Indians  prepare  the  poison  and 
it  is  nothing  more  than  putrid  meat  or  liver  and  Mood  pois^Hied  by  rattle^ 
snake  von'-m,  which  they  dry  in  thin  sticks  and  carry  tn  leather  sheaths. 

When  ihcy  went  or.  a  huniingor  r:tmpaigntnge:(pedition  thej'  welted  their 
arrows  with  the  sticks  and  when  it  was  to  dry  they  s-ftcned  tt  by  holding  it 
near  the  tire  a  little  while.  By  the  time  I  got  to  the  river  my  aim  and 
shoulder  were  immensely  swollen  all  over.  My  faithful  Comanche  applied 
himself  to  suckin;;  the  wound  which  was  extremely  painful.  He  soon  began 
reducing  the  swelling  and  m  the  course  of  three  or  four  days  it  had  entirely 
diaappeared  and  the  wound  was  in  a  fair  way  of  healing  It  never  gave 
me  any  trouble  afterward  although  there  was  let  in  the  flesh  a  stna  1  piece 
of  flint  which  I  still  carry  to  this  day.  As  1  was  unable  lo  travel  while  the 
wound  was  healing,  I  kept  with  me  five  men  of  the  command  and  ordered 
the  rest  to  proceed  down  the  ri»-er  on  the  cam;.»aign  till  they  fuund  the 
Indians."  •  *  These  men  a'ter  several  days  rclurnc-i,  Ihey  fouod  the 
Indians  forufied  in  the  rocks  and  atacked  them.  Tliey  fouhgt  them  a  whole 
day  and  finally  were  obliijcd  ti  leave  them  in  their  im-ition,  and  come  away 
with  several  men  badly  (rounded.  "I  had  to  abandon  the  campnign  as 
beside  the  wounded  men  the  commadd  had  all  their  horses  worn  out  " 

This  tired  band  arrived  at  Wils>)ii's  home  and  there  some  deserted; 
fully  twenty  men  returning  toother  pursuits. 

The  narrative  then  gives  the  recruiing  of  a  new  force  and  its  successful 
expedition. 

He  had  met  wtne  American  trappers  who  promised  assistance.  He 
also  wrote  Don  Henrique  AviU  who  promised  ten  men.  "He  came  with  us 
and  we  started  21  sironji,"  Some  seven  or  cii;ht  days*  march  brought  them 
lo  the  rendezvous  near   the  Mohave  river,  Wilson    says: 

"We  discovered  an  Indian  village  and  I  at  oticc  directed  my  men  to 
divide  in  two  parlies  to  surround  and  attack  ihe  village.  We  did  it  success- 
fully, but  as  on  the  former  occasion  the  men  In  the  place  would  not  sur* 
render  and  on  my  endeavoring  To  pcrsiude  them  to  give  up  ,  they  shot 
one  of  my  men  livan  Callaghan  in  the  back.  I  thought  he  was  mortally 
wounded  and  commanded  my  men  to  fire.  I'he  fire  was  kept  up  until 
every  Indian  was  slain. 

I  took  the  women  and  children  prisoners,  and  we  found  wc  had  to 
remain  there  over  ni^ht  on  account  oi  the  suflTcring  cf  our  wounded. 

Fortunately  the  next  rr.orniiig  we  were  able  to  travel  and  we  marched  on 
our  return  home  bringing  the  women  and  children. 

We  found  that  these  women  could  speak  Spanish  very  well,  and  had 


THE  BEXEGADE  I^'DIJ^'S  OF  SJX  GABItTEL.        7S 


been  neophytes,  and  that  the  men  ve  had  Ulled  bad  been  the  same  who 
had  dc!e:;tcd  mj  command  the  firsE  time  aiid  were  lilcewise  Mission 
Indians. 

Wc  (urnrd  the  women  anJ  children  orer  to  ihc  Mi.'iston  San  Gabriel 
where  they  remained.  These  campaigns  left  our  district  wholly  free  from 
Indian  depredations  till  after  the  change  of  government. 

'  Our  march  thi?  time  was  through  the  San  Gurgonio  Pass  where  the 
railroad  now  runs.  Our  object  being  this  time  to  capture  two  renegade 
ncophylcs  who  had  t.-iken  up  their  residence  among  the  Cahuillas  and  cor- 
rupted many  of  ihc  young  men  of  the  trilie  with  whom  they  carried  on 
constant  depredations  on  the  ranchmen  of  this  district. 

At  the  head  of  the  desert  in  the  place  called  Agua  Caltcntc  we  were 
met  by  the  chief  of  the  Cahuil'as  whose  name  was  Caliezon  (t>ig  head) 
with  about  lo  picked  followers,  to  rcmomtralc  upnn  our  going  upon  a 
campaign  against  his  people  for  he  had  ever  been  good  and  friendly  to  the 
whites.  I  made  known  to  him  I  had  no  desire  to  wsi^^e  war  on  the  Cahuil< 
lai  as  I  knew  them  to  be  what  he  said  of  them  but  that  I  had  come  with 
the  determination  of  seizing  the  two  rcneg.ide  Christians  who  were  con- 
tinually depredating  on  our  people.  (The  chief  urged  there  was  no  water 
or  grass  in  the  country.  Wilson  sei^-ed  him,  placed  hm  under  arrest  and  t'ld 
him  a  white  nun  whrt  had  had  Ion;;  experience  could  go  wherever  an  Indian 
could.)  "I  then  told  him  that  there  were  but  two  ways  to  settle  the  matter. 
One  was  for  me  to  march  Toward  with  my  commnmi  looking  upon  the 
Indians  I  met  as  enemies  till  I  got  hold  of  the  Christians,  the  other  way 
was  for  him  to  detach  some  of  his  twenty  men  and  bring  the  two  robbers 
dead  or  alive  to  my  camp."  (He  protested  (but  finally  arranged  that  if 
Wilson  would  release  his  brother  and  some  others  he  and  others  would 
remain  as  hostages,  and  Adam  his  brother  would  bring  the  malefactors  to 
him  if  Wilson  would  wait  where  he  was  in  camp.) 

"I  at  once  accepted  his  petition  and  released  Adam  and  the  other 
twelve,  and  let  them  have  their  arms.  I  told  them  to  go  on  their  errand 
but  asking  how  many  days  they  would  require  to  accomplish  it-  They  asked 
for  two  days  and  nights.  We  stayed  there  that  night  and  a'l  the  next  day 
with  the  most  oppressive  heat  1  iiave  ever  experienced.  It  was  so  hot  that 
we  coQld  Dot  sit  down  but  bad  to  stand  up  and  fan  ourselves  with  our  ha<:s. 
The  groand  would  burn  us  when  we  attempted  to  sit.  Late  the  following, 
night  the  chief  ca'led  me,  and  asked  me  to  put  my  ear  to  the  ground, 
stating  that  he  heard  a  noise  and  bis  men  were  coming.  I  did  as  he  desired 
and  heard  a  rumbling  noise  which  at  every  moment  became  clearer.  In  the 
course  of  an  hour  we  could  begin  to  heat  the  voices  and  the  old  chief 
remarked  to  me  with  satisfaction  that  it  was  all  right,  he  could  tell  by  the 
singing  of  his  men  that  the)*  had  been  successful  id  the  errand.     I   ordered 


26  HISTORICAL  SOCIETTOFSOVTIIEIi^'C.iLIFOnXlA, 


thirty  men  to  mount  ilietr  horses  and  go  to  meet  them  to  see  if  it  was  all 
right  as  it  was  impossible  those  Indiaits  were  coming  with  hostile  views.  In 
due  time  the  horsemen  came  back  and  reported  that  they  believed  all  was 
right  I  had  my  men  under  arms  and  waited  the  arrival  of  the  party 
which  consisted  of  forty  or  fifty  wirriors.  Adam  ordered  the  party  to  halt 
some  400  yards  from  my  camp,  himself  and  another  companion  advancing 
each  one  carrying  the  head  of  one  of  the  malefactors  which  they  threw  at 
my  feet  with  evident  marks  of  pleasure  at  the  successful  results  of  the 
expedition.  Adam  at  this  same  time  showing  tne  an  arrow  wound  in  one 
of  his  thighs  which  he  had  received  in  the  skirmish  that  took  place  againsc 
those  two  christians  and  their  friends. 

Several  others  had  been  wounded  but  none  ktUed  except  the  two 
renegade  cbtistians.  By  this  lime,  day  was  br^aktnn  and  we  started  on  our 
return.  The  campaign  being  at  an  end  we  left  the  Indians  with  the  two 
beads.  We  took  our  departure  from  Aqua  Caticntc  after  giving  them  all  our 
spare  rations  which  were  very  considerable  as  they  had  been  prepared  in 
expectation  of  a  long  c.impaign." 

Thus  the  old  mission  days  passed  away  and  many  an  Indian  heart 
burned  itself  out  with  stow  fires  of  hate.  Among  the  thousands  there  it 
would  be  a  miracle,  were  it  not  so  and  yet  the  strange  part  of  it  is  that 
writers  and  historians  seemed  to  have  almost  entirely  overlooked  the 
renegade  element,  or  if  not,  they  have  under  estimated  its  strength.  Surely 
it  is  picturesque  and  dramatic  enough  even  in  the  fine  iilusirative  cases  1 
have  presented.  Think  of  the  night  when  thcLugos  lay  in  wait  in  the  dark 
Cifion  and  a  straying  team  carrying  two  ghastly  corpses  over  our  fertile 
plains,  of  the  armed  men  facing  each  other  in  savage  sullen  silence  in  lh( 
court,  the  night  ride  and  gathering  of  the  Indian  clans,  the  battle 
calvary  skirmish  and  the  massacre  and  the  carrying  away  of  the  remant  of 
the  party  thus  exterminating  a  village,  and  the  long  homeward  procestic 
drawing  near  to  our  old  Mission  to  deliver  the  remnant  of  the  women 
children  within  the  walls  that  there  enclosed  the  ground«,  of  a  half  sai 
Indian  lying  mortally  wounded  on  the  bare  earth  and  cursing  his  life  as 
in  torrents  of  rage  as  his  followers  fight  to  the  death  against  the  fo 
of  what  most  have  taken  place  on  the  two  days'  journey  that  resulted 
in  the  returning  band  of  singing  Indians  as  they  bore  the  hcaiis  ol  il 
renegades  in  proof  of  their  success  and  thereby  to  obtain  the  ranwia 
their  chief  who  bad  stood  and  suffered  in  the  camp  of  the  white  men  during 
the  awful  heat,  think  of  the  runaways  and  captures,  of  the  ^""Hiiw 
cropping,  of  the  plots  and  trials,  the  daring  endeavors,  the 
stock,  the  ambush  for  the  travelers,  the  long  journeys  for  1 
tion  of  marauding  bands,  the  councils  and  the  Ia>''jnic 
picture  arises  of  a  part  of  the  nussion  life  that  is  stran^> 


THE  RSJCEQADE  IJ^DIAJTS  OF  SAX  aABRIEL.       v 

the  popular  acceptance  and  causes  the  traveler  who  revisits  thexe 
locations  to  pause  and  gaze  upon  the  ruined  structure  of  mission,  ranch  find 
village  with  feelings  in  which  admiration,  pity  and  regret  are  strangely 
mingled. 


DON  ANTONIO  MARIA  LUGO; 

A  PiCTVaCSQUE  CBAKAtrrSR   or    CAUFORXIA. 


BY  H.  D.  BAKKOWS. 


(Read  May  4,  1896.) 

Among  the  native  Ca'ifornians  of  the  oidso  time  vS>  vere  of  familicf, 
aod  who  wcr*  rrtre  also  proreineni  cicizcns  in  their  dtf,  was  D-in  Antonio 
Haria  Lugo,  "'ho  wai  born  at  the  Ml'Uion  o(  Sin  Antinio  dc  r;idua,  of 
Alta  Califofnia,  in  1775,  and  who  died  at  his  rancho  of  San  Aiitonio,  near 
the  present  townof  Comptoi  in  this  county,  in  1S60,  at  the  age  of  S5  years. 

He  was  one  of  the  largest  tand-owaers  aad  stock -raisers  ouuiJe  of  ihe 
Missionary  establishments  in  the  Oalif  jrnians.  The  writer  of  this  knew 
him  well;  and  he  rcmemiwrs  vividly  his  striking  appearaoce  as  he  rode  into 
t^wn  on  horse  back  erect,  with  his  sword  strapped  10  his  saddle  beneaUi 
his  left  leg,  he  then  being  an  octogenariaa. 

He  told  me  at  his  raocho  in  1856,  that  when  he  was  still  a  young  man, 
after  having  served  as  a  soldier  nnder  the  king  of  Spain,  he  obtained  pet' 
tnission  to  settle  where  he  then  lived,  in  tStj. 

He  said  he  touk  a  few  bead  of  horses  and  cattle  there,  and  engaged 
in  a  small  way,  in  the  business  of  stock-raising,  and  that  aftcrwai4  he 
received  a  concession  in  legal  (crm  of,  I  think,  seven  leagiKS  of  land,  which 
has  since  been  known  »the  San  Antonio  ranchaThe  grant  extended  from  the 
Domtnguez  or  Saa  Pedro  rancbo,  one  ol  the  four  most  ancient  grants  in 
AIu  California,  nearly  to  the  low  range  of  hills  separating  U  from  the 
Sao  Gabriel  valley,  and  from  the  eastern  Pueblo  boundary  to  the  San  Gabriel 
river.  It  was  one  of  the  finest  cattle  ranges  in  the  Territory;  there  was 
abundance  of  water  on  it,  and  on  both  sides  of  it,  as  the  Lcs  Angeles  and 
S>an  Gabriel  rivers  were  not  then  Uken  out  for  irrigation,  and  there  were 
lines  of  live  willows  extending  along  their  banks  to  near  the  sea.  When  I 
was  at  his  house  in  '56,  there  were  two  hrgc  spouting  natural  wells  near 
by,  that  discharged  iotmense  quantities  of  water,  acoHapanied  by  a  roaring 
noise,  that  could  be  plainly  beard  some  distance  away. 

No  wondar  that  cattle  and  other  aQioials  thrived  and  iucreased  in 
nunben  wonderfully,  and  that  eventually  be  bad  more  stock  than  he  knew 
what  to  do  with.  So,  as  his  boys  grew  up,  he  obtained  a  grant  in  their 
name  of  the  rancho  of  San  Bernardino  which  included  a  considerable  pot* 
lion  of  the  rich  and  fertile  San  Bernardino  valley;  and  a  part  of  their  cattle 
and  horses  were  moved  to  the  new  grant,  where  they  continued  to  increase 
in  numbers,  as  ihey  had  dooe  on  the  home  rancho. 

The  docks  and  herds  of  the  veoeiable  Don  and  of  his  sons,   like  those  of 
jiarchs  of  Scripture,  ranged  over  "a  thousand  hiUs;"  and  probably 


DON   ANTONIO  MARIA   LVCO  99 

their  owners  did  not  know  themselves,  how  many  cattle  they  had. 

I>OD  Antonio  named  over  to  me,  :ili  the  governors  of  Calirornta,  down 
to  the  coming  of  "Los  Americanos,"  nearly  every  one  of  whom  except  ol 
course,  the  first  three,  he  know  personally. 

The  town  home  of  the  old  gentleman,  where  nearly  all  of  his  large  family 
of  children  were  born,  was  on  the  east  side  of  the  street,  afterwards  known 
as  Kegro  alley,  situated  on  the  eminence  overlooking  the  valley,  which  was 
then  a  Tcry  desirable  place  of  residence;  it  had  not  then  been  made  the 
resort  nl  low  gamblers,  nor  as  it  is  today,  a  vile  den  of  heathen  Chinese. 

The  following  passage,  written  by  Stephen  C.  Foster  in  1876,  •  refers 
to  an  episode  which  occurred  during  Don  Antonio's  occupancy  of  this  home, 
and  incidentally  it  describes  his  personal  apiwarance  at  that  period,  and 
also  gives  exquisite  touches  of  customs  that  were  practiced  here  in  the  good 
old  Spanish  limes.  "In  1818  the  pirate  B  uchard  had  alarmed  the  inhabi- 
tants of  this  coast,  and  "Corporal  Antonio  Maria  Lugo  received  orders  to 
proceed  to  Santa  Barbara  with  all  the  force  the  little  town  could  spare;"  for 
it  was  expected  that  the  pirates  would  laid  at  or  near  that  place,  which 
they  diJ,  at  Ortega's  ranch,  where  several  of  thdr  crew  were  captured,  in- 
cluding Joseph  Chapman  and  a  negro  named  Fisher,  for  wh'ise  safe  keeping, 
Lugo  bccaine  responsible.  Some  two  weeks  afterward  he  started  with 
Chapman  fur  Los  Angeles,  where  says  Mr.  Foster,  "Dona  Dolores  Lugo, 
(wife  of  Don  Antonio,)  v\\'>,  with  other  wives,  was  anxiously  waiting,  as  she 
stood  after  nightfall  in  the  door  of  her  h^iuse,  which  still  (1876)  standi  on 
the  street  now  known  as  Negro  alley,  hciird  the  welcome  sound  of  cavalry 
and  the  jingle  of  their  spurs  as  they  defiled  along  the  jxith  north  of  Fdrt 
Hill.  They  proceeded  to  the  (tuard  h.»ase,  which  then  stood  on  the  north 
side  of  the  Plarj.  across  upper  Main  street.  The  old  church  was  not  yet 
built  She  heard  the  orders  given,  for  the  citizens  still  kept  watch  and 
ward;  and  pie^ntly  she  saw  two  horsemen  mounted  on  one  horse,  advanc* 
ing  across  the  Plaza  toward  the  house,  and  heard  the  stern  but  welcome 
greeting,  "Ave  Maria  Purlsima,"  upon  which  the  children  hurried  to  the 
door  and  kneeling,  with  clasped  hands,  uttered  their  childish  welcome, 
and  received  their  father's  benediction.  The  two  men  dismounted.  The 
one  who  rode  the  saddle  was  a  man  fully  six  feet  high,  of  a  spare  but 
sinewy  form,  which  indicated  great  strength  and  activity.  He  was  then 
forty- three  years  of  age.  His  black  hair,  sprinkled  with  gray,  and  bound 
with  a  black  handkerchief,  reached  to  his  shoulders.  TTie  square-cut 
features  of  his  closely  shaven  face  indicated  character  and  decision,  and 
their  naturally  stern  expression  was  relieved  by  an  appearance  of  grim 
humor — a    purely    Spanish    face.     He    was    in  the  uniform  of  a  cavalry 


*  S«e  Thcmpaon  &  WMfaHiitDrv  orLcaAiiKdeiCa«uitjt,pftgcd4. 


30  HISTORICAL  SOCIETTOFSOVTHKRJfCALIFOR^'TJ. 


soldier  or  that  time,  the  cu  ra  blanca,  a  loose  fining  surtout,  reaching  to 
below  the  kPCCH,  ma>lc  of  buckskin,  doubled  and  quilted  so  as  to  be 
arrow  i>toof;  on  his  left  arm  he  carried  an  adarg',  an  ■  val  shield  oc  bull's 
hide,  and  h's  ri\'ht  hand  he'd  a  lance,  white  a  hitth-ciowned,  heavy  vicana 
bat  surmounted  his  head.  Suspended  from  his  saddle  were  a  carbine  and 
a  long  strai(tht  cword. 

The  other  was  a  man  about  twenty-five  years  of  age,  perhaps  a  trifle 
taller  than  the  first.  His  light  hair  and  blue  eyes  indicating  a  different 
race,  and  he  wure  (he  garb  of  a  sailor.  The  expression  of  his  countenance 
seemed  to  say,  "I  am  in  a  bad  scrape;  but  I  reckon  I'll  work  out  somehow." 

The  Seflora  politely  addressed  the  Jtranger,  who  replied  in  an  unknown 
tongue.  Her  curiosity  made  her  forget  her  feelings  of  htispitality,  and  she 
turned  to  her  husband  for  an  exulanaticn. 

'  Whom  have  you  here,  o'd  man?"  (viejito)  "He  is  a  prisoner  we  took 
from  that  bucranoer — may  the  devil  sink  her — scaring  the  whole  coast,  and 
taking  ho-'est  men  away  frum  their  tiomes  and  business.  I  have  gone  his 
security," 

"And  what  is  his  name  and  counlry?"  "None  of  us  understand  his 
lingo,  rnd  he  don't  understand  ours,  All  I  can  find  out  is,  his  name  is 
Jos6  nnd  he  9[>;aks  a  language  they  call  Eng'ish,  We  took  a  negro  among 
them  but  he  wait  the  only  one  of  the  rogues  who  showed  fight,  acd  so 
Corporal  Ruts  lassoed  him,  ntid  brouiiht  him  head  ovcr-heeli*,  sword  and  all. 
I  left  hira  in  Santa  Barbara  to  repair  damages.  He  is  English,  (or  speaka 
English)  too." 

"Is  he  a  Christian  or  a  heretic?"  "I  neither  know  nor  care.  He  is  a 
man  and  a  pris"ncr  in  my  charge,  and  I  have  given  the  word  of  a  Spaniard 
and  a  soldier,  to  my  old  comandantc  for  his  safe  keeping  and  good  treat- 
menL  I  have  brought  him  fifty  leagues,  on  the  crupper  behind  me,  for  he 
cart't  ride  without  sumething  to  hold  to.  He  knows  no  more  about  a  horse 
than  T  do  about  a  ship,  and  be  sure  and  give  him  the  softest  bed.  He  has 
the  face  of  an  honest  man,  if  we  did  catch  him  among  a  set  of  thieves,  and 
he  is  a  likely  loo'-ting  young  fellow.  If  he  behaves  himself  we  will  look  him 
up  a  wife  aman^  c  ur  pretty  girls,  and  then,  as  to  his  religion  the  good  Padre 
will  settle  alt  that.  And  now  good  wife  (esposita  mia)  I  have  told  you  alt 
I  know,  for  yiu  women  must  know  everything,  but  we  have  had  nothing  to 
eat  since  morning;  so  hurry  and  give  us  the  best  you  have. 

Mr.  FostT  adds  that  Lugo's  judgment  turned  out  to  be  correct;  his 
Yankee  prisoner,  Joseph  Chapman,  who  was  the  first  English  speaking  set- 
tler of  Los  Angeles,  (thew  events  occurred  in  the  year  iSrS,)  soon  after 
helping  Lugo  to  get  out  timber  in  the  mountains  for  the  construction  of  the 
church;  and  a  few  years  later,  after  he  had  learned  enough  Spanish  to  make 
himself  understocd,  and  could  ride  a  horse   without   tumbling   olT,   Lugo 


DON  ANTONIO  MAIf/A   LUGO 


3t 


accompanied  htm  (o  Santa  Barbara,  where  he  helped  liim  to  find  a  wife  ia 
the  Sciioritfl  Guadalupe  Ortcgi,  daughter  (f  o'd  Sergeant  Ortqja,  Lugo 
standing  as  sponsor  at  the  weeding;  after  which  the  :hree  set  out  on  hoisc- 
back  on  the  lon^  rood  from  Santa  Barbara  to  Los  Anjjeles.  Chapman  and 
his  bride  riding  the  same  horse. 

In  after  ye>rs  Se&^r  Lugo  planted  a  vineyard  on  t'>e  east  side  ot*  San 
Pedro  street,  on  land  now  bisected  by  Second,  and  at  present  owned  in 
part  by  his  Rrand  daughter  Scflora  Montes  de  Oca,  formerly  Mrs.  Wood- 
worth;  and  lor  some  years  his  town  home  w:is  in  the  long  adobe  house,  still 
standing,  just  north  of  the  \Vo<>dworth  residence. 

Oo«  of  Mr.  Lugo's  daughters,  and  I  believe  the  only  one  of  his 
numerous  children  now  living,  Dofli  Merced,  m-uned  first,  Jos^  Perez,  and 
after  his  death,  Stephen  C.  Foster,  formerly  Alcalde,  and  afterwards, 
Mayor  of  this  city.  Mrs,  Foster's  great-grandchildren,  namely  the  children 
of  J.  J.  Voodworth,  Mrs.  Albert  Itimpau  and  Mrs.  C.  E.  de  Camp,  are  ihe 
greal-great-grandchildrcn  of  the  deceased  patriarch,  Don  Antonio  Maria 
Lugo.  Thus  it  has  been  the  lot  of  the  writer  to  know  five  generations  of 
this  family.     Another  daughter,  Jcsui,  married  Col.  Isaac  Williams  ihc  old 

time  owner  of  the  magnificent  rancho  of  "LI  Chino."  The  descendants  by 
this  line  included  Mrs.  Jesuron,  formerly  Carlisle,  and  Mrs.  Carrillo,  form 
eriy  Rains,  and  Iheir  children  and  grandchildren,  also  to  the  filth  genera- 
tion. Of  the  sons  of  old  D-n  Ant^-nio  and  their  numerous  descendants 
extendin;;  to  the  tnird,  fourth  and  fifth  gcnciatioo,  and,  by  marriage  acquir. 
ing  other  names,  I  cannot  undertake  |->  give  an  account,  becauw  I  am  not 
well  enough  acquainted  with  them  to  do  so.  Don  Felipe  Lugo,  one  of  the 
best  known  o(  these  soas  lived  for  many  years  on  the  ranch  which  bore  his 
name,  near  to  and  south  of  the  city  and  ea^t  of  the  river. 

A  brother  of  Don  Antonit  was  Don  Josfi  Ygnncio  Lugo,  the  grand- 
father of  the  Wot'skills  on  their  mother's  side.  He  died  in  1846.  Do&a 
Maria  Anionia,  wife  of  old  Sergeant  Vallqo— "Sarjcnto  distlnguido^'— 
mother  ol  General  M-  G.  Vallejo,  was  also  a  Lugo,  and  a  sister  of  Don 
Antonio. 

From  all  of  which  it  would  apjwar  that  there  must  be  a  good  deal  of 
Logo  blood  scattered  about  in  various  \i3.ns  of  Californix  Take  itati  in  all, 
as  exemplified  both  in  the  earlier  and  later  generations,  it  has  some  pretty 
good  qualities. 

In  1795,  Dt^n  Antonio  married  Dolores  Ruis,  by  whom  he  had  ten 
children.  After  her  death,  be  married  as  his  second  wife,  Maria  Antonia 
German,  by  whom  he  had  several  children. 

Don  Antonio  was  Alcalde  of  the  FiicUo  for  snme  years  prior  to  1815. 

There  are  several  portraits  of  him  extaaL  I  think  Mrs.  Foster  has  one; 


ja  JITSTORICALSOCIBTX  OFSOUTTIERX  CALIFORXIA. 


Wallace  Woodworth  who  married  one  o^  his  granddaugKters  had  one,  and 
his  son  Vicente  had  another. 

Mr.  Stephen  C.  Foster  has  recorded  some  interesting  incidents  which 
reveal  striking  peculiariuesin  the  character  of  Scfior  Luga  Mr.  Foster  had 
been  elected  as  one  of  the  delegates  to  repn-sent  the  Los  Angeles  district  in 
the  first  Constitutional  convention  which  met  at  Monterej'in  1849;  and  desir- 
ing a  letter  of  introductton  to  Hon  Antonio's  sister,  who  lived  there,  he  says: 
"I  then  had  a  consultation  with  my  old  father-in  law,  (Don  Antonio  Maria 
Lugo,}  on  the  luhject  Ife  said:  *So  the  Mexicans  have  s' 'Id  California 
to  the  Americans  for  $16,000,-00,  and  thrown  us  natives  into  the  bargtin? 
I  don't  understand  h':iw  they  could  sell  what  they  never  had,  for  since  the 
tiniQ  of  the  king  we  sent  back  every  governor  thty  ever  s-nl  here.  With 
the  last  they  &e«t  300  soldiers  to  keep  us  in  order,  but  we  sent  htm  with  his 
ragamuffins  back  too.  However,  you  Ameiicans  have  gut  the  country;  and 
must  have  a  goveinmenl  of  your  own,  (01  the  laws  under  which  we  have 
lived  will  not  suit  you.  You  must  go,  and  you  can  stop  wiih  my  sisteri 
Dofia  Maria  Antonia,  the  widow  of  old  Serjeant  Vallejo.'  'But  you  must 
give  me  a  letter  to  her.'  'A  letter?'  was  the  quick  reply;  'X  can't  write  and 
the  can't  read,  for  wc  had  no  schools  t  in  California  when  we  were  young. 
They  tell  me  tkie  Americans  will  esablish  schools  where  all  can  learn.  I 
tell  you  what  I'll  do:  I  will  make  Jos^  (oae  oi  his  s-ns,)  loan  you  el  Qua* 
chino,-*  (the  name  of  a  notable  hoise  which  had  been  used  by  Lugo's  sons 
to  lasso  grizzly  bears  that  had  attacked  their  stock  on  t^eir  San  Bernardino 
lancfao,  and  which  besides  the  brand  bad  the  marks  of  a  grizzly's  cUtws.) 
*My  sister  knows  the  horse,  fur  I  rode  him  to  Monietey  three  years  ago,  and 
she  knows  my  son  would  lend  that  horse  to  no  man  in  California  excqn  his 
old  father.' 

*I  will  tell  you  how  I  happened  to  ride  to  Monterey  at  my  time  of  life: 
In  1845,  when  Don  Pio  Pico  became  governor,  he  established  the  seat  of 
government  in  Los  Angeles,  as  the  Mexican  g  vernment  had  directed  in 
1836;  bu;  there  was  no  government  house,  so  I  made  a  trade  for  a  house 
for  $5000,  for  which  drafts  wctc  given  on  the  custom-house  in  Monterey, 
and  Uke  an  old  tool  I  went  security  lor  their  payment'  (The  bouse  stood 
on  the  lot  which  eiiends  irom  Main  to  Los  Angeles  streets,  and  from  Com- 
mercial street  north,  to  and  including  the  present  Sl  Charles  Hotel)  'The 
owoet  was  pushing  me  for  the  payment;  so  I  had  to  go  to  Monterey  to  sec 
if  that  hopeful  grandson  of  my  sister,  Goveraor  J.  B.  Alvarado,  then  in 
charge  of  the  custora-h  ^use,  would  pay  them. 

'I  found  him  and  Casico  preparing  to  come  down  and  deprive  Pio  Pico 
ol  the  goTcrnurship,  and  they  had  use  for  all  the  money  thry  could  get;  so 
I  had  my  ride  of  300  leagues  for  nothing.  Plague  take  them  all!  with  their 
proauociamentos  and  revolutions,  using  up  my  horses  and  eating  up  my 


DOJi  AJiTOJ^JO  MARIA  LUGO. 


c»tUc,  while  my  sons,  instead  of  taking  care  of  tbdr  old  rather's   stock  were 
off  playing  so'fiicr, 

■'I  he  Americans  have  put  a  stop  to  all  this,  and  we  will  now  hare  peace 
and  quiet  in  the  land,  as  in  the  good  olJ  days  of  the  king.' 

'  When  you  gel  to  Monterey,  you  go  to  my  sister  and  tell  her  for  me,  by 
the  memory  of  our  last  meeting,  to  treat  you  as  I  have  ever  treated  her  sons 
and  grandsons,  when  they  visited  mc'  " 

The  circumstances  of  the  "last  meeting"  referred  to  between  Antonio 
Maria  Lu^o  »nd  his  sister  at  Monterey  thrccycars  before,  are  thus  described  ; 

"In  March,  1846,  Dofia  Maria  Antonia  I.ugo  de  V'allejo  was  seated  on 
the  porch  of  her  house,  which  commanded  a  full  view  of  the  town  and  the 
southern  load,  accompanied  by  one  of  her  granddaughters.  Three  horse- 
men were  seen  slowly  turning  the  point  where  one  coming  from  the  south 
can  first  be  seen,  The  ^Id  lady  shaded  her  eyes  and  gased  long  and  ex- 
claimed: 'There  comes  my  brother!'  'O,  grandmother  (abuehta,)  yonder 
come  three  horsemen,  but  co  one  can  tell  who  they  are  at  that  distance. 
'But,  girl,'  she  replied,  "my  old  eyes  are  better  than  yours.  That  tall  man 
in  the  middle  is  my  brother,  whom  I  have  not  seen  for  twenty  years.  I 
know  him  by  his  seat  in  the  saddle,  ^o  man  in  Catifornia  rides  like  him. 
Hurry  o(f,  girl,  (hijita,)  call  youj  mother  and  aunu,  your  brothers,  sisters 
and  cousins,  and  let  us  go  forth  to  welcome  him.' 

The  horsemen  drew  near  and  a  Httle  groop  of  some  tvrenty  women  and 
children  stood  waiting  with  grandmotVier  at  their  head,  her  eyes  5xed  on  the 
tall  horseman,  an  old,  white-hdired  man,  who  Hung  himself  frc-m  the  saddle, 
and,  mutually  exclaiming,  'brotherf  'sister!'  they  were  locked  in  a  warm 
embrace.' 

Don  Antonio  Maria  Lugo  was,  in  most  respects  as  thoroughly  a  Span- 
iard  as  if  he  had  been  born  and  reared  in  Spain.  He  looked  upon  the  com- 
ing of  the  Americans  as  the  incursion  of  an  alien  element,  bringing  wilh 
them  as  they  did,  alien  manners  and  customs,  and  a  language  of  which  he 
knew  next  to  nothing,  and  desired  to  know  less. 

With  "los  Yankees,'  as  a  race,  he,  and  the  old  Californians  generally, 
bad  liule  spmpathy,  although  individual  members  of  that  race  whom  from 
long  association  he  came  to  know  intimately,  and  who  spoke  bis  lan^^uage, 
he  learned  to  esteem  and  respect  most  highly,  as  they  in  turn,  learned  most 
highly  to  esteem  and  respect  him,  albeit,  his  civilization  differed  in  aoDM 
respects  radiciUy  from  theirs. 

It  is  related  of  him  that  on  seeing  for  the  first  time  an  American  mow- 
ing-maching  in  operation,  he  looked  on  with  astonishment,  and,  holding  up 
one  long  bony  finger,  be  exclaimed:     "Los  Yankees  faltan  un  d«do  de  ser 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA. 

el  Dinblol"     The  Yankee  onl:^  larks  one  finger  of  being  the  Devill 

To  rightly  estimate  the  chatjcier  of  St'flor  Lug>,  it  is  necessary  for 
Americans  to  remember  ihcsc  differences  of  race  and  ennronment.  Al. 
thi ugh  he  lived  order  three  legimer,  to  wit:  Spanish,  Mexican  and  Anglo 
American,  he  tclaJned  to  the  Ust  the  et-tential  characteristics  which  he 
inbciited  from  his  Spanish  ancestors;  and  although  as  I  have  intimated,  he 
tad  as  was  very  natura'*  do  likin>;  for  Americans  themsclres,  as  a  rule,  or 
for  their  ways,  nevertheless,  he  and  all  of  the  better  class  of  native  Cal- 
iforniaus  of  the  older  uener.ili~.n8  did  have  a  genial  liking  for  individual 
Americans  and  other loieigners,  who,  in  loig and  intimate,  social  and  busi- 
ness intercturse,  proved  themselves  worthy  of  their  friendship  and  cor.fi. 
dcncc.  Indeed,  1  may  say,  and  I  rake  pleasure  in  saying  to  the  members  of 
this  society,  that  one  of  the  plensantest  features  of  my  more  than  forty 
years'  acquaintanceship  with  native  Caiforrians,  not  only  in  Los  Angeles, 
but  in  San  Josfi  and  ilontciey,  has  been  this  universul  friendship  and 
respect  on  Iheir  part,  for  those  foreigners,  c<  mparatively  few  in  numbers, 
who  by  alliance  in  marriage,  or  by  sympathetic  and  honorable  dealings  bave 
won  their  con5deace. 

How  warm,  how  gentiine,  was  the  esteem  in  which  native  Californiana 
of  Ihe  belter  class  held  such  honorable  men,  and  ever  wholly  trustworthy 
friends  as  "Don  Benito"  (WiUon.)  "Don  Kicirdo"  (Dr.  Hen,)  "Don  Juan" 
(Dr.  Griffin,)  "Don  Guillermo"  (Wol.skill,)  "Don  David"  {Alexander.)  etc.; 
and  others  up  country,  like  "Don  Aliredo"  (Robinson,)  "Doo  David" 
(Spence,)  etc.,  etc. 

The  Spanish  Californians  are  naturally  a  warm-hearted  race;  and  withal 
they  are,  and  always  have  been,  lovers  of  liberty.  They  welcomed  the  men 
I  have  named  and  others,  as  equals,  merely  conceding  that  these  new-made 
bu:  true  friends,  were  only  superior  to  themselves,  in  this,  that  they  had 
traveled  more  than  they,  and  had  doubtless  seea  more  of  the  ouuide  world; 
and  furthermore,  that  they  had  had,  what  they  Californians  had  not  had, 
namely  the  benefit  of  schools.  For  California,  half  or  three-quarters  cf  a 
century  ago,  was  pretty  effectually  shut  off  from  the  rest  of  the  world,  and 
was  without  schools,  or  materials,  to  wit,  teachers,  wherewithal  to  establish 
them.  For  the  rest,  the  Californians  and  Americans,  both  of  the  better 
class  met  on  an  equal  footing,  and  as  a  consequence,  the  sincere  friendship 
which  grew  up  between  them,  rested  upon  an  enduring  basis. 

To  justly  appreciate  the  older  generations  of  Californians  we  should 
consider  their  Hurrcundings,  their  almost  absolute  isolation,  ar.d  the  civiliza- 
tion which  they  as  citizens  of  "New  Spain,"  had  inherited,  and  then 
imagine,  if  wc  can,  how  we  would  have  acted  if  we  had  been  placed  in  their 
stead. 


A  DEFENSE  OF  THE  MISSIONARY  ESTABLISH- 
MENT5  OF  ALTA  CALIFORNIA. 


BY  TUB  RRV,  J.  ADAM,  V.  O. 


(Read  Nor.  9,  1696.) 

TTiere  is  no  institmion  on  earth,  no  matter  how  beneficent  in  its  pur- 
pose, or  how  divine  in  its  principles,  that  can  escape  the  criiicisms  and 
prejudices  of  the  multitude- 

Atnong  the  sublime  actions  which  cin  not  and  do  not  Tail  to  attract  the 
nttention  and  crmmendauon '■(■  mankind,  surely  the  sacrifices  or  ihe  mii- 
sionnry  deserves  m  l>e  pbced  in  the  ft>rei;round.  And  yet  some  will  ask 
what  did  the  naiires  of  California  gain  by  the  labor*  of  aad  the  miMionaries 
and  what  service  have  those  friars  rendered  to  the  world  in  general.  Such 
a  question  is  asked  by  Mr.  .Alexander  Forbes,  the  historian  of  Upper  and 
Lower  Caliiornla,  t.n  page  931  of  hia  book.  It  Ja  my  purpose  tonight  to 
answer  some  "f  the  objections  I  find  in  Mr.  Forbes's  book,  and  to  vindicate 
the  systems  of  the  missions  by  so  doing.  I  hope  to  suggest  some  argument 
by  which  we  can  defend  these  venerable  establishments  called  The  Missions 
of  California. 

What  is  ciiHIiKition?  Acfordinp;  to  Walker's  Dictionary,  to  civilize,  js 
"to  reclaim  from  tavageness  and  brutality,"  and  Webster  defines  civilized, 
"to  be  reclaimed  from  savage  life  and  m-nners,  to  be  educated,  to  be 
refined.'"  We  claim  that  the  missionaries  of  California  did  reclaim  from 
sava^eness  and  barbarism  the  native  inhabitants  of  this  part  of  the  Pacific 
cuast.  Mr.  Forbe«  allows  that  the  old  Padres  domcsticjied  the  Indians, 
but  he  can  not  grant  to  them  the  glory  of  having  civilized  them.  On  the 
contrary,  on  page  lai  cf  his  work,  he  declares  openly  "that  the  system  of 
the  missions  frustrates  all  prospect  of  true  civilization  and  all  ra-ional 
improvement"  He  seems  to  put  very  little  trust  in  religious  instruction 
and  to  believe  that  to  civilize  men,  it  is  enough  to  teach  ihem  mechanical 
arts,  ayricullure,  and  that  which  adds  to  the  comforts  of  life.  We  answer 
hira  that  the  old  Fadies  did  teach  the«e  arts  to  the  Indians,  and  gave  them 
besides  religious  instruction.  We  cannot  agree  with  him  when  he  asserts 
"that  men  might  be  more  easily  reclaimed  from  a  savage,  barbarous  or 
semi  barbarous  state  by  other  means  than  by  that  of  religion."  I  would  like 
he  would  give  us  an  example  of  any  tribe  or  nation  that  has  been  rescued 
from  barbarism  by  cny  ''ther  means  than  religion,  first  of  all.  He  does  not 
exclude  religious  instruction,  but  imagines  that  laymen  ought  to  be  the  first 
to  teach  10  those  savages  Ihe  arts  and  comforts  of  life  by  degrees.  We 
would   ask   Mi.    Forbes   where  could  we  find  these  wonderful  laymen  that 


A  DEFEJVSE  OF  THE  IkltSSIOK  SYSTEM. 


would  leave  th«  comforts  of  life,  and  wife  and  children,  and  go  among 
savage  trib&s  to  teach  the  mechanical  arts?  Whjr  did  not  he  try  it  himself 
and  expose  his  life?  He  replies  that  they  would  come  amongst  them  armed 
to  the  teeth,  and  that  they  would  fores  their  submisuon.  If  this  is  the  kind 
of  way  that  Mr.  Forbe?  wouM  ciTiliie  the  Indians,  we  have  to  thank  God 
that  the  old  Padres  ignored  such  civilization  and  conquered  the  Indians  not 
by  force  but  by  persuasion,  and  by  enticing  them  through  the   mis4oti  ayi- 

lem. 

I  must  confess  in  justice  to  Mr.  Forbes  that  he  never  doubts  the  sin- 
cerity and  honesty  of  the  religious  missionaries,  he  only  criticizes  their  sys* 
tcm.  In  (act  he  has  said  so  much  in  favor  of  the  first  missionaries,  that 
from  his  own  history  of  California,  I  borrow  the  armstodefend  the  missions. 

The  Grst  inquiry  to  be  made  is,  what  was  the  condition  of  the  savages 
on  the  arrival  of  the  missionaries?  Did  they  belong  to  those  noble  red 
meu  of  the  northern  forest  in  whose  eyes  sparkle  intelligence  and  sagacity, 
Or  did  they  belong  to  that  low  class,  which  seems  to  be  more  imbued  with 
the  fjrovcling  instincts  of  the  brute  creation,  than  by  the  noble  qualities  of 
reasonable  beings? 

Mr.  Forbes,  himself,  telU  us  that  "they  are  acknowledged  by  all  to  be  a 
timid  and  feeble  race." 

Father  Vcncgas  says:  "Even  in  the  most  unfrequented  corners  of  the 
globe,  there  Is  not  a  nation  so  stupid,  of  such  contracted  ideas  and  weak 
both  in  body  and  mind,  as  the  unhappy  Californians."  Their  characteristics 
are  stupidity  and  insensibility,  incoittancy  and  blindness  of  apjietite.  and 
excessive  sloth  and  abhorrence  of  fatigue'" 

Mr  Forbes  allun-s  us  to  know  that  much,  and  we  deduce  ix-iv^  hts 
assert!  ins  the  remaiiiOcr. 

We  are  told  that  the  fathers  used  to  bring  the  Indians  to  the  mission 
by  force-  While  I  resided  in  Santa  Cruz  frnm  i86S  to  i8Sj,  I  had  occasi'iD 
to  converse  more  than  once  with  a  man  by  the  name  of  Ramon  Rodriguez, 
who  had  served  as  a  soldier  during  the  time  the  mission  system  was  in  its 
vigor.  He  told  me  that  the  so-called  "conquesta"  consisted  in  sending  dur- 
Ing  the  summer  a  few  soldiers  and  some  christianized  Indians  to  the  Tulares 
to  try  to  induce  those  roaming  Indians  to  come  to  the  mission  and  see  what 
a  happy  life  their  companions  were  enjoying  there.  Some  would  lollow  them, 
Others  would  refuse,  but  none  were  forced  to  go.  It  is  true  that  after  an 
Indian  who  had  been  once  received  into  the  mission  fold,  he  was  not  free  to 
go  back  to  hts  former  life.  The  same  rule  is  observed  in  the  present  reser- 
vation method  of  the  United  Sutcs;  and  cannit  be  difTcrent;  otherwise,  one 
or  two  ringleadet-s  would  cause  mutiny  and  a  t^^neral  uprising. 

Enough  credit  cannot  be  given  to  ihe  missionaries  that  in  less  than  half 
a  century  they  taught  these  stupid  and  wretched  Indians  to  love  labor,  and 


DOJf  AXTOmO  MARIA  LUQO- 


S7 


initnicted  them  in  the  first  rudiments  of  edaca-ion.  They  taught  the 
Indians  how  to  tin  the  soil,  to  capture  wild  animals  and  so  on.  The  red 
men  relinquished  their  siTage  customs,  and  having  berome  christians  thejr 
wore  clothes.  These  were  happy  settlements  in  those  days,  peace  and 
plenty,  religion  and  morality  went  hand  in  hand, 

Wc  are  grateful  to  Mr.  Forbes,  when  he  assures  us  "that  there  are  few 
eventit  in  hisirrry  more  remarkable  on  the  whole,  or  more  interesting,  than 
the  transformation  on  the  great  scale  wrought  by  the  Jesuit  Fathers  and 
Franciscans  in  Paraguay  and  California."  What  was  that  transformatio-i? 
According  to  our  new,  it  was  to  recall  the  savage  from  his  ignorant  and 
degraded  condition  to  that  of  a  sedative  life  around  the  missions,  in  order 
to  teach  him  how  to  love  God  and  to  provide  for  himself  the  necessaries  of 
life.  According  to  Mr.  Forbes  "it  consisted  in  transforming  the  aborigines 
of  a  beautiful  country  from  free  savages  into  pusillanimous,  superstitioui 
■lavet."  He  adds:  "It  is  no  wonder  that  Perouse  found  the  resemblance 
painfully  striking  between  their  condition,  and  that  of  the  Nej^o  slaves 
of  the  West  Indies."  However,  the  same  Perouse  tells  us  that  in  17S6,  Xrti 
missions  had  been  established,  and  that  the  number  of  converted  Indians 
was  5143, 

It  seems  impossible  to  me,  that  in  the  short  space  of  seventeen  years  so 
many  thousands  of  low  natives  could  be  made  to  conform  to  the  habits  of 
industry  and  religion. 

Let  us  again  hear  Kir.  Forbes  describe  the  kind  of  life  at  the  mis- 
sions, and  then  judge  for  ourselves  if  it  ii  fair  or  not  to  compare  the  mil- 
sioD  Indians  to  the  Negro  slaves  of  the  West  Indies. 

"In  the  intervals  of  the  meaJs  and  prayers,"  says  Forbes,  "the  Indians  are 
variously  employed  according  to  their  trade  or  occupation,  that  is  to  say 
either  in  agricultural  labors  or  in  the  store  room,  mai;a£ines  and  laboratories 
of  the  mission.  He  describes  the  women  as  beinu  much  occupied  in  spin- 
ning,  and  other  tittle  household  duties,  the  men  in  combing  wool,  weaving, 
meiiiag  tallow,  or  as  carpenters,  shoemakers,  bricklayers,  blacksmiths,  and 
•o  on.  One  of  the  principal  occupations  of  the  missions  is  the  manufacture  of 
a  coarse  sort  of  cloth  from  their  own  iheep,  for  the  purpose  of  clothing  the 
Indians." 

The  principal  object  of  the  Franciscans  was  the  conversion  of  the 
aborigines,  to  instruct  them  in  the  christian  religion. 

The  soldiers  that  accompanied  the  missionaries  were  few,  and  could  not 
by  force  subject  so  many  thousands  of  roaming  savages,  but  the  Indians 
were  conquered  not  by  force  but  by  persuasion,  by  entidng  them  to  the 
mission  life. 

There  were  only  four  soldiers  and  a  corporal  in  each  mission  to  pro- 
tect the  lives  of  the  bthers.     The  missions  were  hundreds  of  miles  apart* 


fffSTORWAt  Sr>CIBTY'OF  SOUTITERN'CAlIFORmA: 


one  from  ftnother,  and  vet  we  do  nnt  rod  of  any  rebellion  or  uprising  of  the- 
Indians  againit  the  Mission  Fathers.  Tlie  missionaries  came  well  provided 
witK  trinket*,  abimdance  of  jirovisions,  seeds  to  plant,  agricultural  imple- 
menW,  tools  and  machinery.  By  Tarious  means  they  endeavored  to-  draw 
some  of  the  natives  to  the  spot  selected  for  the  mission.  Alt^r  gaining  thtir 
coitfiiience,  tHe  fathern  and  soldiers  would  set  to  work  anH  connmtnce  to 
Bake  adobes  and' with  the  help  of  the  yet  unconverted  Indians  to  erect 
spaciou!!  buildings.  After  their  manual  Utxtr  the  fathers  did  not  seek  rest,  bur 
set  themselves  to  work  to  teach  thcm"Spanishin  order  to-initiate-  them-into 
the  rudiments  of  the  chnshan  religibn. 

The  Indians  were  giren-every  year  two  suits  of  clothes,  each  contribu- 
tton  amounting  in  all  lo  $Cb,ooo;  besides  the  singers  and  mTssionaries  g  t  a  near 
dress  for  thtf  pnnci^l  leasts.  This  does  not  sound  much  like  the  UAi  of  « 
tiegio  slave. 

T&at  some  abuser  may^  have  been  committed,  I  am  not  prepared  ta 
d^ny;  still  I  maintain  that  the  fathers  were  not  responsible  for  them.  'rh» 
tame  Mr.  Forbes  asserts  that  *'li  would  be  injustice  to  luahe  fathers  with- 
openly  sanctioning  much-~less  directing  the  mare  severe  of  these  meansi' 
Some  Indians  were  apjKiintcd  to  ruLe  over  a  certain  number  of  their  less 
intelligent  companions,  and  somp  times  pernaps  they  appHed  the  riati  or 
whip — here  we  must  remember  thai,  at  all  times,  the  worst  of  tyrants  hai 
been  a  slave  set  at  liberty,  and  with  some  power  in  his  hands.  I  have  na 
thne  to  describe  the  flourithrng  condition  of  the  missions  where  thousands 
of  cattle  were  roaming  ovti  the  plains,  where  store  rooms  were  fiHed  with 
provisions,  where  beautiful  orchards  were  atuched  to  each  mission;  and  all 
these  oof  to  enrich  the  fathers,  but  to  provide  for  the  welfare'of  their 
adopted  children  of  the  foresr.  If  you  have  a  chance  some  time  to  speak 
to  any  of  the  feirold  mission  Indians,-'yoU'  caji  convince  yourselves  of  this 
truth,  that  the  Indians  speak  yet  in  love  and  ra|)ect  of  the  old  Padres,  and 
t)Jat  they  cried  bitterly  when  the  missions  were  secularized,  and  the  old 
ndres  were  obliged  to  abandon  them. 

*^he  best  and  most  unequivocal  proofs  of  the  good  conduct  of 
these  fathers,'^  says  Mr  Forbes,  on  page  33,  "is  to  be  found  in  the  urn- 
bounded  affection  and  devotion  invariably  shown  toward  them  by  their 
Indian  subjects.  They  venerate  them,  not  merely  as  friends  and  fathers, 
but  with  a  degree  of  devotedness  approaching  to  adoration."  Indeed  If 
ever  there  existed  an  insunce  of  perfect  justice  and  propriety  of  the  com- 
parison of  the  priest  and  his  disciples*  to  a  shepherd  and  his  flock,  it  is  in 
the  case  which-  we  are  treating  of.  So  far,  Me.  Korbes  and 
others  after  him  will  continue  to  criticize,  and  condemn  that  system 
which  brought  the  Indiane  from-  a  savage  life  to  one  o^  industry,  and 
attached  them  so  affectionately  to  their  tutors. 


DON   ANTO/rrO   MARIA   LUGO 


'Tlialory  telln  us  what  was  the  lad  result  when  the  mission  system  «■■ 

abolished  and  a  new  plan  tried.     Captain   Beechjr,  io    iSxy,  aft«r  a   f«r 

.•months  trial  found  these  people  indnlgJOK  frealy  in  those  excesses  which  tt 

■  had  been  the  endeavor  nf  these  tutors   to  reprew,   and  that   many  having 

gamblefkaway  their  ctethes,  ira|»iemen(s  and  even  -their  land,  were  com* 

-'pelled  to  beg  or  plunder  inordcr  to  eke  out  an  esistence.     i  hey  became  so 

obnoxious  that  the  padres  were  requested  to  take  some  of -than  back  to  the 

mission,  while  otkers  were  loaded  with  shackles  and  put  to  hard  workj^aod 

-remember  -that  Captain  Beechy-  was  not  fawrable  to  the^mijiionaries.     I 

-finish  these  few  pages  in  the  words  of  Mr.  Bartletl,  an  officer  of  the  -United 

'States  wnt  by  the  government  to  settle  the  boundary  line  betneea  Lower  aad 

^pper  California.     He  exfiresses^imseli'Very  £avorable  to  the  mission  sya- 

•  IMD,  while  he  alleges   that   the  .present   system   of  reserves   causes  more 

^expense  and  pioduces  less  benefits.  -"How  did   the  miaaionaiiet  civitiee 

-the  Indians,"  he  asks,  "not  with  sword  in  hand,  notby  treaties, not  by  Indian 

agents  who,  without  soMiple  »r  remorse,  sacrifice  these   poor  creatures   far 

-a  vile  gain."     "'['he  Indians,"   he  continaes,  "under  the  padrea-were  Uught 

-Christianity  alongwiih  several  of  the  arta  of  civilized  life^  and  a  desire  lo  mm- 

:-tain    themselvea    by  their   own   work.     With   these  simple- means  they  did 

•-mora  to  ameliorate  the  condiiioo  of  -the   Indians    than    the    United-^tatM 

'Government  has  done  since  it  establiihed  its  agencies  md  with  jnlinitcly  lew 

-expense  than  what- we  now  pay  toAhc  agents,  leaving  aside  the  millions  which 

-.annually  are  paid  for  damages,  bribes,''  etc. 

Mr.  Bailey,   special    agent   of   Indian   affairs    in  Olifornia,    declared 

•openly  that  the  early  missionaiiea  fulfilled  faithfully  theiriask  of  civiUiiuf 
.  and  providing  the  Indians  with  a^l  things  necessary.  He  confesses  that  «t 
.present  (this  was  in  1S5S)  the  reservations  for  Indians  axe  only  houses«f 

beneficence  of  the  govermoent  wheiea  limited  number  of  Indians  are 
-'insufficiently  fed,  and  scantil.y  clad,  and  all  these  al  an  expenses  far  dia- 
•proportionate  to  the  benefit  realized." 

In'4S64i  J  cMpped  from  the   "Viialia  -Delta,"  the  following:     "Ijwt 

July,  of  this  year,  about  900  Indians  were  removed  from  Owens  river  to  the 

ranch    of    'F.1    Obispo.'     They    were   left  alone  to  provide  for  themselves. 

These  Indiana  are  represented  as  destitute  of  clothes.  "You  could  see 
^t  any  time  of  the  day,"  says  the  correapondeni,  "dozens  of  women  almost 
:  naked  eating  the  grass  and  clover  in  the  Jield,  side  by  side  with  the  mules 
-of  the  government^  while  their  provisioiu  and  clothes  have  been  stolen  by 
.  the  vei7  peieons  f  aid  by  ihe  government  to  provide  them  with  these  oecee- 

.  caries." 

I  with  that  Mr.  Forbes,  Cornisc,  Tuthill  and  others,  who  have  aiti- 
dred  so  much  the  system  of  the  fathers,  woold  read  these  facts,  pondei  upon 
them,  and  tftll  me  which  system  was  the^best;  that  which  provided  amply  for 

-^h*  Indiwu,  or  the  modern  one  *hich  tets  them  staiveia  the  nudat  of  pluity. 


I 


A  TWO  THOUSAND  MILE  STAGE  RIDE. 


BY    B.    D.    DARSOWS. 


(Read  at  a  P«sadena  Sfoeting,  Feb.  4,  1896.) 

Thirty-five  years  ago  it  was  the  good  fortune  of  myBelf  and  wife  to  ride 
over  the  Butterfield  route,  which  was,  I  beliere,  the  longest  and  best  con- 
ducted stage  route  in  the  world.  The  distance  froin  Sm  Francisc  ),  by  wnf 
of  L08  Angeles,  El  Paso,  Fort  Chadboume,  Fort  Smith,  to  St.  Lonis,  as 
indicated  by  the  schedule  of  stage  stations,  was  2881  miles,  or  from  Los 
Angeles,  2391  miles.  I  bought  our  two  tickets  for  $400,  gold,  at  the  orer- 
land  stage  office,  which  was  located  where  the  Rosder  Bloclc,  on  Spring 
street  now  stands;  and  we  boarded  the  delayed  stage,  (delayed  by  heavy 
rains  and  a  snow  storm  in  the  Tehachape  mountains,)  from  Sao  Francisco, 
which  arrired  at  the  Bella  Union,  now  the  St.  Charira  Hotel  in  this  city,  at 
about  ID  o'clock  Monday  night,  Pecember  17,  1860. 

Wc  traveled  day  and  night  by  stage  for  about  eighteen  days  and  fire 
hours,  arriving  at  Stnithton,  Missouri,  th*  terminus  of  the  railway,  to  St. 
Louis,  on  the  morning  of  January  5,  i36i;  and  at  St.  Lonis,  on  the  evening 
of  the  same  day.  Of  course  the  journey  was  somewhat  tediuus,  but  this 
was  more  than  compensated  for  by  the  incidents  and  variety  of  scenery  uf 
the  vast  stretch  of  country  iMisKed  through,  and  really,  the  weariness  uf  stage 
travel  was  less  (liaagrecable,  than  sea-sickness,  etc.,  by  water,  as  we  had  oc- 
casion to  refilice  on  our  return  trip,  by  way  uf  the  Isthmus.  Prior  to  the 
establishment  of  the  overland  stage  route,  a  trip  from  I>os  Angeles  to  the 
Atlantic  States  uiual!y  occupied  about  fotir  weeks;  it  could  not  be  made  in 
much  less  time,  even  with  close  connections  by  steamer.  But  by  the  stage 
and  rail  route,  including  a  stop  of  two  days  at  St.  Louis,  we  were  enabled  to 
see  the  great  tragedians.  Booth  and  Charlotte  Cushman,  in  Shakspcare's 
"Merchant  of  Venice,"  at  the  Academy  of  Music  in  Philadelphia,  twenty- 
three  days  after  we  left  Los  Angeles.  About  twenty  days  traveling  itme 
across  the  continent,  and  mostly  by  s:age,  we  thought  then,  was  not  bad 

time- 
Encouraged  and  subsidized  by  the  United  States  Government  for  the 

carrying  of  the  mails,  John  Butterfield  of  Missouri,   a  veteran   stage  man, 

with  others,  established  the  overland  stage  line  between  St.   Louis  and 

Memphis,  and  San  Francisco,  via  Los   Angeles,  in  1858,  making  trips  at 

first  twice  weekly,  each  way;  and  subsequently  six  times  a  week,   recei**ing, 

1  believe,    from    the   government,    under    the    later    contract,    $1,000,000, 

annually.     The  first  stage   from   the    East,    (Memphis,)   arrived   in  Los 

Angeles,  October   7,    1S58.     A   driver  and   conductor   accom|>anied  each 

stage  ^^'^  tbcy  always  went  anned  through  the  hostile  Indian  country.  Tbe 


W  rirO  THOUSAND  MILE  STAGE  RIDE. 


I 


Rations  irere  usually  ten  to  lifteen  miles,  and  occauonatljr  twenty  to  twenty. 
fire  miles  apart. 

A  condensed  summary  of  the  ititierary  of  our  journey  tnay  not  be 
without  interest. 

Leaving  Los  Angeles,  Monday,  we  reached  the  Colorado  river  on  Thur*. 
day,  meeting  a  siage  from  the  East  on  the  desert,  and  one  about  every  two 
days  therearter.     At  first  it  was  not  easy  to  get  much  sleep,  bui  after  a 
couple  of  days  out,  we  could  sleep  without  dirficulty,  either  day  or  tiight 
At  Fort  Yuma,  we  took  on  a  through  passenger,  Lieut.  McCanI  of  the 
regular  army,  who  went  to  Tennessee,  and  afterwards,  I  suppose,  into  th« 
Confederate  aruay,  though  wc  never  heard  from  him  after  we  parted.      Fri' 
day  morning  at  daylight  we  passed  the  locality  where  the  Oatman  massacie 
occurred.     Near  here  we  met  a  large  herd  of  American  cattle  bound  ftjr 
California;  and  soon  after  wc  overtook  a  band  of  mounted  Indians,  who  at 
first  we  thought  might  be  Apaches,  but  our  conductor  soon  recogniied  them 
•*  biendly  Maricopas.     They  turned  out  of  the  road  for  us   to   pass   them, 
and  returned  our  greeting  in  a  friendly   manner.     At  Gila   Bend,  Sutton's 
ranch,  we  saw  a  dead  Apache  Indian,  tied  in  a  standing  posture  to  a  tree. 
He  had  been  shot  by  Sutton's  son  a  lad  of  about  fourteen.     Mr.  Suttoa 
told  ui  that  he  had  come  there  with  sixty  head  of  American  cattle  and  a  lot 
of  hurses  and  mules.     He  had  been  obliged  to  send  off  most  of  his  fam.ily 
to  save  their  lives;  the  Apaches  had  cleaned  out  nearly  all   his   stock,   and 
h'td  done  Ihdr  best  to  clean  him  out;  they  would  come  around  in  the  night 
in  bands   of  forty   or  fifty,  and  «hoot  arrows  into  his  house,  (which  like  all 
the  Ktations  and  corrals  of  the  stage  company  in  the  hostile   Indian  country 
were  made  of  stockades,  or  posts  set  endwise  in  the  ground,  close  together;) 
whilst  he  and  his  boys  sad  hired  men  would  pop  them  orer  with  a  rifle  ball 
whenever  they  could  get  sight  of  them.    He  had  expended  about  $7,000,  he 
said,  in  digging  a  canal  from  the   Gila,  in  order  to  get  in  a  crop.     Since 
the  Indian  had  been  killed  by  his  son,  they  had  not  been  so  bad.      But  the 
bercuc  old  frontiersman  was  finally  compelled  to  abandon  the  field.     In 
after  years  I  used  to  know  him  and  his  Indian- fighting  son  as  citizens  of 
El  Monte,  in  this  county.     It  took  many  years  and  cost  many  precious 
lives,  before  Crook  and  Miles  made  it  possible,  by  the  removal,  (out   of  the 
world  or,  to   another  part  of  the  country,)  of  the  l/loodthirsty  Apaches,  for 
while  {KOple  to  live  in  safety  io  any  part  of  Arizona  and  New  Mexico. 

On  the  Saturday  after  we  started,  we  arrived  at  Tucson.  Here  we 
took  on  two  more  through  passengers,  Mr.  Hiram  Stevens,  afterwards  dele- 
gate to  Congress  from  Arizona,  and  his  wife,  DoOa  Fetra,  wno  were  bound 
for  his  native  place  somewhere  in  Vermont,  and  they  traveled  with  us  aa  fax 
as  Toledo,  where  we  parted  for  our  several  destinations.  Sunday  we  went 
through  Apache  Pass,  where  we  saw  several  Apaches  about  the  station;  they 


•i  EZSTORICAt  SVCTlSTr  OF  SOCTITEKXVJirrrrRXrS. 


were  Ull.  savage  looking  fellows,  dressed  mostly  in  bockskin,  the  weather 
beiiiji  viody  and  very  cold.  One  yoHog  buck  bad  i  white  woman's  bonnet 
ied  oc  over  his  head.  Som-  disuace  beyond  the  suuon  we  »w  several 
wigga  touos  which  had  "oot-spanoed.'  AAo  oar  aniTal  in  i*hiladelptfui 
we  saw  in  ihe  papers  tr.ai  the  SAvages  had  ovcroocac  the  teamsters  oCm 
ttaia  in  this  pass,  chained  ihsm  to  their  w^on-wheeb  and  burned  tWeoa 
alive! 

A  mile  or  two  beyond  the  «uiioa,  as  we  eoaerged  from  the  Pass,  we 
saw  a  camp  of  sevcrat  hundred  Apaches  that,  we  codentood,  had  been 
dimn  in  thmagb  fear-of  the  N&pa|os.  This  was  the  hut  we  saw  of  the 
A|nches.  and  we  soon  left  their  country  behind  vs. 

We  reached  Mesilla  on  Monday  night,  Cbristouu  eve,  about  dark;  the 
generml  illominatJon  of  the  bills  in  the  rear  of  the  t"«n  by  the  minets — ■ 
local  annual  practice,  we  were  told — notified  os  that  it  was  *?focbe  BoenL" 
We  arrived  at  El  Paso  before  dayUght  neat  morning,  where  we  took  an 
euly  breakfast.  We  traveled  some  distance  down  the  Rio  Grande,  and 
then  struck  across  nortbcra  Tt  xaa,  over  the  greater  portioa  of  which,  the 
Comanche  Indians  ranged.  Between  these  formidaMe  Barages  and  t&e 
Texans,  the  most  ictcnse  hatred  at  iU  times  existed,  caosiog  that  aectioa  to 
remain  almost  cntirelv  unsettled. 

Betwt:en  Fort  Chadboume  and  the  old  abandoned  Fort  at  "Thanton 
Rill,"  there  is  a  forty-mile  stretch  from  siatioa  to  siattoiL  On  this  plain  we 
aaw  several  thousand  bnSaloes  scattered  aboat  in  squads  of  from  three  or 
fuur  to  as  many  hundreds.  It  was  certainty  »  grand  sight  Severar  Uigt 
herds  of  these  shaggy  animals  ran  across  our  road  a  short  distance  ahead  of 
the  stage,  so  that  we  had  a  fine  opportunity  to  see  them.  There  were  of  iU 
sires,  from  calves  ap  to  the  oldest  patriarchs.  They  charged  on  after  their 
leaders,  in  solid  columns  that  oonid  not  be  easily  changed  or  broken.  We 
slao  saw  on  this  plain  abundance  of  beaotiful  white-tailed  deer,  and  ante- 
lope, and  wild  turkeys,  and  one  or  two  wolves. 

Ai-Phantom  Hill,  which  had  been  burned,  leaving  only  a  lot  of  chiaH 
neyt  standing,  and  a  few  stcine  hoases,  reminding  one  of  the-  mint  of  ao 
anaent  city,  w«.arnved  on  otir  sbcond  Sunday  out,  at  dark;  here  we  were 
tTgalH  with  a  grand  supiier  «f  buAlo  steak,  venison,  etc^  and  •  rousing  Ere 
towarm  us  up  f>  r  the  night's  travel,  that  made  as  remember  the  place  ai  we 
would  an  ckaiis  in  the  desert.  Only  a  single  family  lived  here^  without 
neighbors  for  many  miles  around.  Sunday  we  passed  Fort  Belknap,  wbcM 
wt  heard  the  Comanciies  had  been  committing  depredations.  Mondar. 
u  we  drew  near  the  bright  thriving  town  of  Sherman,  Texas,  we  b^an  to 
see  cattle  running  at  -large  on  the  hills,  which  was  an  indicatioo  that  we 
were  out  of  the  Indian  country. 

We  crossed  Red  river  into  the  Choctaw  or  peaceable  Indian  Terrnocy 


^TIFO  7ffOUSAA/7y  MILE  STAGE  RTIPE. 


«n  the  last  day  of  the  j^ear.  The  i  ext  morning  «u  biting  cold.  We  ate 
breskfjRt  at  a  large  fnrm  house,  occupied  by  two-  we'l  to-do  Choctaw  farm- 
ers, who  iJressed  and  looked  like  Amsricans.  and  who  were  nearly  as  white. 
They  had  large  families.  Ju«  as  we  w-re  iea»ing^  a  number  of  fitll-boode 
Indians  came  out  on  to  the  broad  veranda>  with  their  Chief.  We  were  told 
that  thejr  were  to  leave  on  the  tvext  Btaf^  after  us,  en  route  for  Washiogton, 
m  see  their  new  Great  Father,  Uncoln,  Jnau^rated. 

The  Choctaw  Indians  had  made  great  psogress  in  civilization;  thej 
had  schools  and  churches,  and  we  were  told,  were  tndtMiriousand  inteHi' 
gent.  The^r  made  their  own  laws,  their  chief  officer  being  culled  a  Judge. 
We  could  see  sign*  of  thrift  and  prosperitf  as  we  [las-ied  through-  their  Ter- 
mor;. 

We  reached  Fort  Smith  on  the  and  of  Janiiary,  fifteen  and  a  half  dayi 
from  Los  Angeles.  I  was  surprised  to  find  Fort  Smith  a  wide-awake,  pro- 
gressive city,  having  been  under  the  impression  that  it  was  Kttle  more  than 
a  Fort  and  log-burtt  frontier  settlemeMi 

On  our  jDumey  thus  far  we  had  ridden  in  w*iat  were  called  thorough* 
brace  mod-wagons.  Rut  next  moining  before  light,  on- a- Concord  stage 
coach  we  arrived  at  Springfield,  a  larger  and  handsomer  city.  Fayeirville 
was  another  fine  city,  that  is,  it  had  Ic*i  of  a  frontier  aspect  than  one  would 
expect  from  it»  location.  The  neirt  day,  the  4lh,  the  weather  being  very 
cofd,  it  snowed  slightly,  this  being  the  first  snow  we  had  seen  on  our  whole 
continental  trip,  albeit,  it  was  made  >o  midwinter.  We  now  had  some  dif* 
culty  in  keeping  warm,  although  the  stages  were  adapted  t^cotd  weather  by 
b^ng  padded,  and  they  could  alio  be  cloied  tight-  However,  we  wrapped 
our  blankets  and  shawls  and  fixings  about  us,  and  didn't  come  any  where 
near  freenng.  Late  that  night,  or  rather  about  3  o'clock  the  next  (Satur- 
day) morning,  January  5,  i36i,  we  were  glad  to  reach  the  end  oi  our  long 
•uge  journey  of  over  200^  miles,  at  Smiihton,  the  terminus  of  the  railway 
to  St.  Louis.  As  the  regular  daily  train  did  not  leave  till  9  o'clock,  a,  m., 
we  got  about  two  hours  sleep  on  a  bed — the  first  in  eighteen  days.  While 
this  was  very  welcome,  ncvc*thele»i  it  must  riot  be  supposed  that  we  were 
uaed  up,  for  we  were  not,  by  any  means.  We  took  the  cars  and  reached  Sl 
Louis  between  S  and  7  o'clock  that  night,  eighteen  days  and  twenty  hour*, 
from  Lot  Angeles.  As  the  train  passed  along  some  distance  on  the  bank  oC 
the  Missouri  river,,  we  had  an  opportunity  to  see  that  stream.  Next  morn* 
tog  we  got  sight  of  the  vast  Mississippi,  whoce  veins  and  arteries,  in  a  grand 
system  of  net-work,  extend  more  than  thirty  thousand  miles.  Several  of  ut 
&t  least,  then  saw  those  two  mighty  rivers  for  the  first  time. 

At  the  Planters'  House  we  found  an  inn,  and  rest.  Next  day,  Sunday, 
we  took  a  warm  bath  and  changed  our  apparel,  somewhat  the  worse  foi 
wear  and  tear  and  dust,  and  we  felt  as  good  as  new. 


44  HISTORICAL  SOCISTY  OFSOUTHERJT  CALIFORNIA. 


After  a  two  days'  stay  in  St,  Loui»,  wc  went  by  rail,  via  Chicago  and 
Pittsburg  to  Philadelphia,  where,  for  a  time  our  journey  wai  at  an  end; 
Ithough  we  later  visited  varioui  other  Eastern  cities.  We  returned  to  Cat- 
"ifornia,  via  the  Isthmus,  the  following  May. 

To  many  people,  doubtless,  who  thinlc  more  of  their  ease  than  they  do 
of  robust  physical  health,  a  stage  ride  of  a  thousand  or  two  thousand  miles, 
ma,y  seem  a  very  formidable  undertaking.  But  fur  those  who  have  a  liking 
for  adventure,  and  a  desire  to  sec  something  of  the  world,  a  long  ride  of  two 
or  three  weeks,  practically  in  the  open  air,  not  in  hot,  stuflTy  cars,  posscssea 
a  wonderful  charm,  especially  in  remembrance,  when  by  the  necromancy 
of  idealization  we  segregate  the  pleasureable  Irum  that  which  was  merely 
disagreeable,  and  therefore  irrelevant.  Such  a  ride  is  one  of  the  most 
effective  cures  for  dyspepsia  that  can  be  imagined. 

The  "Overland  Stage"  was  the  precursor  of  the  Conltnentat  Railroad; 
and  the  interest  taken  in  the  former  by  the  statesmen  and  esi)ecial]y  by 
Southern  and  Western  statesmen  of  forty  years  ago,  did  them  infinite  crediL 
As  we  look  back  wc  see  that  they  gras[>ed  the  situation  accurately^  they 
foresaw  the  importance  of  opening  up  direct  communication  between  the 
distant  sections  of  our  common  country;  and  they  labored  wisely  and  patri- 
otically, despite  much  opposition  and  innumerable  obstacles,  for  the  estab- 
lishment of  such  direct  and  systematic  intercommunication,  first  by  means 
of  a  cuntincntal  sUge  line,  which  they  knew  would  soon  be  followed  by  & 
continental  railroad. 


(Read  May  4,  1896.) 

History  furnishes  few  examples  of  daring;  and  adventure  comparable  to 
those  of  the  fur  trappers  and  hunters  of  the  tramontane  regions  of  the  Great 
West. 

These  hunters  and  trappers  were  the  forerunners  of  advancing  civiliza- 
tion in  the  far  West — the  pathfinders  of  iramontane  emigration. 
Beginning  in  the  first  <iecade  of  the  present  century  and  continuing 
through  a  period  Cif  thirty  years  they  explored  the  ulterior  regions  west  9^ 
the  Mwissippi,  from  the  confines  of  the  Arctic  Ocean  on  the  north  to  the 
borders  of  Mexico  on  the  south. 

Unaided  and  unprotected  by  the  government  of  their  couatry,  they 
pushed  boldly  out  into  the  unexplored  regions  beyond  the  Mississippi.  The 
country  was  terra  incognita;  they  knew  nothing  of  it  beyond  the  vcr^ie  of 
their  horizon.  In  the  pursuit  of  their  perilous  vocation  they  crossed 
alluiline  deserts;  penetrated  dark  and  dangerous  defiles,  and  scaled  moun- 
tain ranges  hitherto  untrodden  by  foot  of  civilized  man.  They  launched 
tbeir  frail  canoes  on  nameless  rivers,  without  knowing  whither  their  swift 
currents  would  carry  them,  or  in  what  rapids  or  whirlpools  they  might  be 
engulfed.  Constantly  in  danger  from  savage  foes,  both  man  and  beast, 
their  lives  were  spent  in  one  long  continued  existence  of  suspense  and 
watchfulness.  Skilled  in  all  the  artifices  of  the  wily  Indian,  and  ever  on 
the  alert  against  his  ambuscades  and  attacks,  yet  notwithstanding  their 
bravery  and  their  caution,  it  is  said  that  three-fifths  of  the  pioneer  trappers 
who  crossed  the  Itocky  Nfountains,  perished  by  the  hands  of  the  Indians. 

Thcxe  hunters  and  trappers  were,  for  the  most  part,  unlettered  men> 
and  their  intercourse  with  civilisation  rarely  extended  beyotid  the  border 
settlements  of  the  tar  West.  Consequently,  the  stcries  of  their  adventures 
were  unwritten,  and  the  credit  of  their  discoveries  too  often  given  to  men 
who  followed  their  trails  years  after  they  were  first  traced. 

Twenty  years  before  Fremont,  the  Pathfinder,  nude  his  explorations  in 
the  Great  Basin  and  the  valleys  of  California,  Bridger  had  discovered  Great 
Salt  Lake;  Ashley  had  traversed  the  Great  Basin  from  the  Rockies,  west- 
ward to  the  Sierra  Ncvadas,  had  discovered  Utah  Lake,  and  built  a  fort 
and  trading  post  on  its  shores,  and  Jcdcdiab  Smith,  the  pioneer  trapper 
of  California*  had  crossed  the  Sierras,  had  explored  the  valleys  of  the  San 
Joaquin  and  the  Sacramento;  had  followed   the  Cascade  range  from  the 


4t  aiSTORlUL  SOCIETT  OFSOUTBSRJf  CULIFO&yid- 


ID    Cotesbia:  bail    mtAtd 


what  altervardi  becaae  the 


tml  by  way  of  the  (real  Salt  Lake,  acmu  the  dcsens  o^ 


Kerada,  do«n  tttc  Hamboldt  aod  a«ei  the  Soow; 


iVDthenlkf 


ctf  c»e  SscnscDto;  aod  bad  traced  tut  otiicf  e»ij|ffim  tn3  bf  «Uc^  in 
bto-  fcan.  so  many  beiaied  ArfpoMou  foend  tbetr  vay  from  Slate  Lake 
■aoM  Ac  tnotttaina  aod  deserts  to  Uoa  ADgckiL 

or  the  eariy  htrtery  o(  jedeiiak  S.  Stscth,  the  finC  vUte  aaan  «bo 
Eietd  the  SiesTx  Sendx  lloostaiu  *e  koov  bat  fittle.  Qm^tr  in  hiB 
*1nih  Race  to  Califontb"  cUuns  that  Smth  vaa  boni  to  KiB|>  Goantjri 
hdaad.  This  is  mn  atot.  Smith  w^s  o(  Paritaa  Mock.  He  was  bom  ■■ 
Conaecticm.  He  «a«  the  eJdeit  ci  tbirteea  ehadrcn.  Early  io  the  prea- 
ent  ttsm-rr  his  father  esugrated  tu  the  WeMen  Reaerve  ta  Ohio,  and  set* 
6ed  a  Akbtabula  coo&iy.  Asad  the  red*  mrooDdiBKS  ot'  fioota  Hit, 
fooDg  Siooh  grew  to  nanbood  By  soae  acanc  be  mcbi  to  have  ob> 
tasBcd  a  good  edocaiiocL  A  shipping  — rn*— *  (now  m  pOMMnon  of  W.  R. 
Bacon,  Esq.,  of  diia  dtr)  Btadeovt  t^  Smith  io  iSia  fiar  acaigp  of  goods 
■hiryod  OD  L^ike  Enc,  is  vritteo  in  a  hand  vrita  dear  a»d  fSstiact  as  cop- 
pgpbte;  aad  ts  iJe  ost  in  good  hmmvr^  font.  We  have  no  record  of . 
when  be  began  the  IHe  of  a  ttapptf .  We  fint  bar  of  him  aa  an  cfiloy 
of  Geo.  Ashley  to  iSax.  He  had  cooBand  of  a  band  of  irafipcn  oa  the 
waten  of  Soake  Rivet,  la  1824.  Afterward  he  baoone  a  paitns  of  Asb> 
lejr't,  oadei  the  6rm  mmt  ai  Ashky  &  Sooh,  and  s^Meqaeatfy  one  of  hii 
HKCCKors  in  the  Rcckj  Hoouaia  For  Company.  Be  had  the  repmatiam 
of  being  an  booonbk^  tnnhfol  and  rdi^ile  ana.  CoL  Waroer,  who  net 
Ua  in  Si.  Looia  in  tSjo,  after  the  retare  &om  Green  titer  ol  the  Roefcy 
Fnr  Coaapany's  wagon  ttaios  with  tors,  gives  this  acooom  of  his 
with  him  aad  his  impcesnocs  of  the  man: 

•^Mtead  of  finding  •a  Uniher  Sm^Dg,'  I  met  a  wdl  brad,  inliriligrm 
and  CbtHdaa  gcmlemen,  who  repressed  my  yonthftil  ardor  and  fancied 
pleasnres  lor  the  life  of  a  trapper  and  moimtatneer  by  infoanqg  me,  that  if 
I  west  into  the  Rocky  Moomains,  the  ehancca  were  mack  greater  in  Unm 
of  meeiiBg  deaxh  than  of  fiodiag  a  restotaiJoo  of  heahh;  and  that  if  I 
CKiped  the  fatmct  and  aecared  the  latter,  the  pcobnbilities  were  Aak  I 
■odd  be  rained  far  anything  eEse,  in  I^  than  sach  things  as  vooU  be 
K>  the  pamtoBs  ol  a  aerai  savage.  He  aid  dial  he  had  ^mbC 
eight  years  io  the  moat.tains  and  shook]  not  letera  Bo  them.** 

There  is  a  wide  dispaiity  in  the  accounts  ^na  by  (fiflmnt  htatsrisas 
«f  Smith's  adventures,  and  the  dates  gtvea  of  soaw  of  the  events  of  Ua 
eaploraiioos  vary  coouderxbly.  For  instance,  Coloocr  Warner  pvcs  the 
date  of  his  first  entrance  into  California,  as  1814,  and  his  rooxe  thno^ 
Waftcr^  Pass,  Cronise,  hfcCleUan  and  others,  give  die  dale  as  1835,  by 
the  nme  roaic.    Bancroft  ^ves  iS»6  as  the  year,  and  the  place  of  Us 


CAPT.  JEDEDIAH  S.  SAfiTH. 


49 


arrival,  San  Gabriel  Mission,  and  from  there  north  by  the  Mojave  to  Tularet. 
Ouriocirty  has  a  copy  made  by  H.  T).  Barrows  from  Col,  Warner's  MSS.  of 
•Califoniia  Fur  Trappers,"  in  which  is  a  abort  sketch  of  Smith's 
adventures.  In  my  paper  I  shall  follow  the  f  a  native  of  Col.  Warner, 
except  when  the  preponderance  of  evidence  shows  that  he  is  incorrect.  I 
also  supply  from  other  sources  a  number  of  imiMrtant  facts  and  inci- 
dents which  Col.   Warner  has  omitted,  or  of  which  he  was  ignorant. 

Smith,  on  his  first  expedition  to  California,  started  from  the  Kocky 
Mountain  Fur  Company's  Post,  near  Great  Salt  lAkt,  August  21,  1S26, 
with  a  band  of  fifteen  hunters  and  trappers.  Hb  r^bject  was  to  6nd  some 
new  country  that  had  not  been  occupied  by  a  fur  company.  He  moved  in 
I  southwesterly  direction.  He  discovered  a  river,  which  he  called  the 
Adams  {aiia  the  Pr4.sident,  John  Quincy  Adatss)  itow  known  as  the  Rto 
Virgin.  This  stream  he  followed  to  its  jurciion  with  the  Colorado.  He 
followed  down  that  rircr  to  the  Mojave  villages,  where  he  rested  fifteeo 
dajrs.  Here  he  found  two  wandering  neophytes  fiom  Ibe  California  Mis- 
nons,  who  guiJed  his  party  acmss  the  deaert  to  the  Sao  Gabriel  Mission. 
where  he  arrived  early  in  December,  1826. 

Although  Mexico  had  gained  its  independence  of  Sftain  and  become 
a  Republic,  the  proscriptivc  laws  of  Spain,  against  foreigners  entering 
Mexican  territory,  were  still  in  force.  The  Americans  were  arrested  and 
compdleri  to  give  up  their  arms.  Smith,  the  leader,  was  taken  to  San 
Diego  to  give  an  account  of  himself  to  the  Commandante  General, 
Rcheandia.  Smith  claimed  that  he  had  been  compelled  to  enter  the  terri- 
tory on  account  of  the  loss  of  his  horses  and  a  scarcity  of  provisions.  He 
was  finally  released  upon  the  endorsement  of  several  American  ship  cap- 
tains, who  were  then  at  San  THego,  in  the  following  rather  curious  certifi- 
cate of  character,  which  is  still  in  existence: 

"We,  the  undersigned,  having  been  requested  by  Capt.  Jededlah  S. 
Smith,  to  state  our  opinions  regarding  his  entering  the  Province  of  Cali- 
fornia, do  not  hesitate  to  say  that  we  have  no  doubt  but  that  he  was  com- 
pelled to  for  want  of  provisions  and  water,  havinj;  entered  so  far  into  the 
barren  country  that  lies  between  the  latitudes  of  forty-two  and  forty-three 
west,  That  he  found  it  impossible  to  return  by  the  route  he  came,  as  his 
horses  had  most  of  them  perished  for  want  of  food  and  water,  he  was  there- 
fore under  the  necessity  of  pushing  forward  to  California — it  being  the 
nearest  place  where  he  could  procure  supplies  to  enable  him  to  return, 

*<We  further  state  as  our  opinion  that  the  account  given  by  him  is  cir- 
cumstantially correct,  and  that  his  sole  object  was  the  hunting  and  trapping 
of  beaver  and  other  furs.  We  have  also  examined  the  passports  produced 
by  him  from  the  Superintendent  of  Indian  Affairs  for  the  government  of  the 


48      BI8T0RJCAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  CAUFORNId. 

United  States  of  America,  and  do  mc  heshaie  to  ny  ve  belicre  them  per- 
Hctlf  correct. 

**We  atio  lU'-e  tliat,  id  nnr  Dpinkni  tits  owtifgi  for  «i<hitig  to  pftss  hf 
■  dtfTereKt  raate  to  the  Columbia  rivet  or.  hU  retom  is  wcHtAj  becanse  he 
feds  convinced  that  he  and  tut  coapanioos  mn  great  risks  of  peiishiDg  if 
tbef  rettirn  by  the  route  iliey  came 

Id  testimonr  vbeieof  we  have  heretrato  set  our  hands  and  tealt  this 
zoth  day  oi  Decenber,  1826. 

Wm.  G.  Dam,  Capt  Schooler  WaverJy, 
Wm.  a.  CtnrnK<HiAM.  Cap*,  "^hip  Cooriert 
Wm.  HnmeRSON,  Capt  Brig.  OUre  Branch, 
Tromas  M.  Robiwsow,  ifatc,  Schooner  Waverly, 
Thos.  Skav,  Supercargo  Ship  Courier.' 
On  this  flhowtng.  Smith  was  allowed  to  take  his  de^Mrtore.  He  pur> 
chased  horses  and  supplies  at  San  Gabriel,  but  did  not  leave  the  countfr 
until  Febriiary.  Tbe  aatborities  had  grown  uneasy  at  bt»  cooiiaaed  pn 
ence  in  tbe  country.  He  had  moved  h»  camp  to  Kan  BemantiiKX  Order*' 
were  issued  to  detain  bito,  bat  before  they  c-uld  be  executed,  he  had  left  < 
by  vay  of  Cajon  Pass  for  the  Tnlare  r<^oos.  He  trapped  on  tbe  uibu- 
taries  of  the  San  Joaquin,  and  by  May  had  reached  a  fork  of  the  Sacra- 
meiito,  near  tbe  present  site  of  tbe  town  of  Fcrisom,  00  the  river  since  called 
the  Aroerican  from  that  fact,  where  he  established  a  sumcDei'  cain|h.  Here 
a^aio  his  prescnoe  disturbed  tbe  Padres.  Four  huncred  neophytes  of  the 
Uissioa  Sao  Jose,  had  escaped  from  tbeir  taskmasters,  aaJ  joined  the  gen- 
tilca  (as  the  wild  Indians  were  called)  in  the  Sacramento  valley.  Smith  and 
his  trappers  were  accused  of  decoying  them  away.  The  charge  was  ioresti- 
gated  and  proved  to  be  false.  Still  tbe  preseoce  of  tbe  Amerit-ans  worried 
Padre  Duran.  Smith  wrote  bim  the  following  cnciliatOTy  lener,  which  is 
ioU  preserved: 

Reverend  Father:  I  understand  through  the  meJium  of  one  of  yoor 
Christian  Indians  thai  you  are  anxious  to  know  who  we  are — as  some  of 
the  Indians  have  been  at  the  Mission  and  informed  you  that  there  were 
certain  white  people  in  the  country.  We  are  Americans^  00  our  journey  to 
the  river  Columbia.  We  were  in  at  the  Mission  San  Gabriel  January  last. 
I  went  to  San  Diego  and  saw  the  General  and  got  a  passport  from  hiro  to 
pass  00  to  tnai  place.  I  have  made  several  efforts  to  pass  the  mouaiaio*, 
but  tbe  snow  being  so  deep  I  could  not  succeed  in  getting  over.  I  returned 
to  this  place — it  being  the  only  point  to  kill  meat— to  wait  a  few  weeks  until 
the  snow  melts  so  that  I  can  go  no.  The  Indians  here  also  )<eing  friendly, 
I  consider  it  the  most  safe  point  for  roe  to  remain  until  such  time  as  I  can 
cross  the  mountains  with  my  horses — having  lost  a  great  many  in  attempt- < 
ing  to  cross  ten  or  fifteen  days  since.     1  am  a  long  way  from  home  and  amj 


SL 


CAFT.  J  ED  EDI  AH  S.  SMITH . 


49 


a>^xi*ons  to  get  there  as  soon  as  the  nature  of  the  case  will  adroit  Our  situ- 
ation is  quite  unpleasant,  bdng  destitute  of  clothing  and  tnusc  of  the  neces> 
aattes  of  life,  wild  meal  being  our  principal  subsistence. 

1  am  Reverend  Father,  your  strange  but  real  friend  and  Christian, 

J.  S.  Smith. 
May  19,  1837. 

The  next  day.  Smith  with  tw'>  companions,  leaving  the  remainder  of 
his  company,  started  on  his  return  journey;  be  followed  up  the  American 
river  to  its  source  and  crossed  the  Sierra  Nevadas  near  the  head  of  the 
Truckec  rirer. 

Of  this  event  he  writes: 

"On  May  20,  1S27,  with  two  men,  teven  horses  and  two  mules,  I 
stalled  from  the  valley.  In  eight  days  we  crossed  Mount  Joseph,  losing 
twn  horso!t  and  one  mule.  (Col.  Warner  says  his  animals  were  froten  to 
death.)  Altera  march  of  twenty  days  eastward  from  M^mnt  Joseph  (the 
Sierra  Neradas)  I  reached  the  southwesterly  corner  o(  the  Great  Salt  LaJca 
The  country  separating  it  from  the  mountains  is  arid  and  without 
Often  we  had  no  water  for  two  days  at  a  time.  When  we  reached  Sal'  Lake' 
we  had  leU  only  one  horse  and  one  mule,  so  exhausted  that  they  could 
hardly  carry  our  slight  bagga^je.  We  had  been  forced  to  eat  the  horses  that 
bad  succumbed." 

The  route  taken  by  Smith  from   the  Sierras  to  Salt  Lake   was   sub- 
ttantially  that  followed  by  the  overland  emigration  of  later  years.     He  dis- 
covered  the  Humboldt,   which  he   named   the  Mary  river,  a  name  it  bore ' 
until  changed  by  Fremont  in  1845.  (The  discovery  of  the  Humboldt  is  also 
attributed  to  Heniy  Skein  Ogdcn,  a  famous  trapper.) 

Soon  after  his  arriviU  at  the  Company's  renduzvous.  00  the  Green  river, 
Smith  organized  another  band  of  trappers.  He  followed  down  the  Green 
river  to  where  that  stream  bends  to  the  west;  here  he  left  it  and  continued 
southerly  over  the  high  t  .blc  lands,  between  that  and  the  Grand  river.  He 
crossed  the  latter  river  and  changed  his  course  to  the  southwest,  reached 
Uie  Colorado  at  the  Great  CaGon.  Finding  it  impossible  to  approach  the 
river  on  account  ul  the  pcrpen^Jicular  bluDTs,  be  worked  his  way  southerly 
uniil  below  the  cs&on  he  reached  the  river  at  a  Mojave  rancharia.  Here 
his  party  built  rafts  and  prepared  to  cross  the  river.  Smith  and  two  others, 
Galbraith  and  Turner,  had  crossed  to  the  western  bank,  and  the  remainJer 
of  the  party  were  about  to  follow  on  rafts.  The  Indians,  who  had  tieen  aid- 
ing them  to  cross  and  who  had  hitherto  manifested  a  most  friendly  d>spo- 
litioo,  suddenly,  without  warning,  arose  ujKm  the  party  and  treachcrouslj 
Bussacred  all  except  the  three  who  had  crossed  over. 

Language  is  inade<]u.-ite  to  portray  the  horror  of  the  situation  that  con- 
uontcd  Smith  and  bis  two  companions.     Behind  them  was  a  howling  band 


50  SJSTOmCAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTBERX  CJLIFORJ^IA. 


of  satnges,  inteot  on  their  destruction;  before  them  fltretc*>ed  two  hundred 
mUet  of  treeless  and  fraterlcss  desert.  To  turn  Oack  laeant  certata  death 
bf  the  huids  of  the  savages;  to  go  forward  slioost  certain  death  by  starra* 
tion  mod  thirst  Thej  were  not  men  to  hesitAte  Tbejr  pushed  otM  boldly 
into  the  desert.  The  story  f  their  hardships  and  sufferings  has  never  beett 
writteit  possibly  nev-.r  told.  It  was  but  one  of  many  such  events  inddent 
to  their  hazardous  txicupation.  Col.  Warner,  says  that  late  in  Norember* 
they  reached  the  Mission  San  Gabriel,  where  they  were  arrested  bjr  the 
military  authorities  and  seat  to  San  Diego.  In  this,  Warner  is  incorrect. 
There  is  no  record  of  Smith's  arrest  on  this  journey,  nor  of  his  arrival  with 
two  companions  at  the  Mission.  Co].  Warner  has  confounded  this  journey 
with  Smith's  arrival  the  previous  year,  when  he  was  arrested,  as  the  records 
show.  I  am  inclined  to  a^ree  with  Bancroft  in  his  opinion  that  Warner  has 
reversed  the  order  of  Smith's  two  journeys  and  that  it  was  on  the  last  trip 
that  he  entered  the  Tulare  valley  at  or  near  Wilker's  Pass  Smith  probably 
crosaed  the  desert  and  stiikinif  his  old  trad  of  the  previ  ^tu  >ear,  followed  it 
across  the  Mojave  desert  into  the  Tulares,  and  thence  northward  to  the 
camp  of  his  men  on  the  American  river. 

After  Smith's  departtire  the  previous  year,  the  Califomians  stipposed 
they  were  rid  of  their  troublesome  visitors.  In  September  they  discovered 
the  Americans  were  still  there.  Orders  were  at  one  time  issued  to  arrest 
them  and  bring  the  trappers  to  Sanj  ose,  but  whetbei  they  were  taken  there 
is  not  clear.  On  Smith's  return  be  reported  at  Monterey,  and  Captain 
Cooper  signed  a  bond  for  his  good  behavior  while  be  remained  in  the 
country  General  Echeandia  gave  Smith  permission  to  purchase  horses^ 
provisions  und  other  supplies.  He  was  required  to  take  his  par:y  out  of  the 
country  without  delay,  and  in  future  not  to  vifit  the  coast  south  of  latitude 
42  degrees.  To  avoid  the  Sierra  Nevadas  and  the  desert  country  lying  to 
the  west  and  southwest  of  Salt  Lake,  Smith  resolved  to  proceed  northerly, 
keeping  the  Sierra  Nevadas  on  his  right,  and  by  a  detour  around  their 
northern  limit  reach  the  waters  of  Snake  river,  north  of  Salt  Lake.  As  be 
followed  up  the  Sacramento  river,  the  country  became  so  rough  that  he 
abandoned  his  propoi^cd  route  and  struck  off  toward  the  coast,  which  be 
reached  about  one  hundred  miles  north  of  Ross,  a  port  and  settlement  of 
the  Ru&sion  Fur  Company.  Traveling  northerly  along  the  coast,  he  reached 
the  Umpqua  river.  They  enoimped  on  a  small  island  near  the  mouth  <A 
the  river  opposite  a  branch  flowing  in  from  the  northeast;  both  island  and 
branch  were  named  after  Smith.  The  party  had  trapped  on  their  north* 
ward  journey  and  secured  at  least  $30,000  worth  of  furs,  and  had  in  their 
train  about  i  jo  horses.  The  Indiana  who  had  been  allowed  to  enter  the 
camp  appeared  friendly. 

"After  breakfast*  Smith  accompacied  by  one  of  his  men«  left  camp  iit 


CAPT.  JEDEDIAH  S.  SMITff. 


«carch  of  a  ford.  Scarcely  were  thejr  out  of  sight  when  the  camp  was 
attacked  and  fifteen  men  were  killed.  Hearing  the  c^mof'tion.  Smith 
turned,  only  to  see  the  party  annihilated  and  his  propertjr  seized.  His  safety 
being  in  flight  alone,  he  hurried  across  the  river  with  his  companion,  and 
after  severe  sufTeriDg  found  his  way  to  Vancouver,  which  he  reached  bare- 
beaded  and  footsore)  and  more  nearly  dead  than  alive.  Two  others  of  the 
party,  Arthur  Black  and  Turner,  who  was  acting  as  cook  on  that  fatal 
mcsmng,  saved  themselves  as  by  a  miracle.  Black  was  a  powerful  fellow, 
as  well  as  active  and  light  of  foot;  hand  to  hand  he  fought  the  foe  tintil  he 
managed  finally  to  elude  iiis  grasp  and  hide  himself  in  the  forest.  Turner 
brained  four  of  the  savages  wilh  a  firebrand,  a  half  burned  poplar  stick,  and 
so  effected  his  escape^  These  two  also  reached  Fort  Vancouver  in  a  most 
pitiable  plight,  their  clothing  torn  to  rags,  and  almost  starved  to  death. 
They  had  subsisted  during  their  journey  on  snails,  toads,  bugs  and  fern 
Tools."     (Bancroft's  History  of  the  North  West  Coast,  Vol.  11.) 

Smith  entered  into  an  arrangement  with  McLaughlin,  the  chief  factor 
or  Governor  of  the  Hudson  Bay  Company,  by  which  it  was  agreed  on  the 
part  of  the  governor  that  he  would  send  a  party  of  men  to  the  Umpqua 
River  Indians,  with  whom  the  com|}any  was  on  trading  terms  and 
endeavor  to  recover  from  them  the  furs  and  other  propeny  belonging  to 
Smi  h,  and  bring  the  same  to  Fort  Vancouver.  In  consideration  of  this 
friendly  assistance,  Smith  was  required  to  sell  his  furs  to  the  company  at  a 
stipulated  price,  which  was  less  than  half  their  value  in  St.  Louis.  All  other 
property  of  the  Americans  recovered  from  the  Indians  was  to  be  turned  over 
to  the  Hudson  Bay  Company  at  a  nominal  figure.  Another  stipulation  of 
Ihe  contract  was  that  Smith  should  send  one  of  his  men  who  had  escaped 
the  massacre  to  guide  a  hand  of  the  Company's  trap[)ers  into  California. 
Turner  was  sent  with  a  party  under  the  leadership  of  McLeod.  McLeod'i 
trappers  made  a  most  successful  season's  hunt,  but  leaving  the  valley  too 
late  in  the  year,  were  caught  In  a  snow  storm  on  a  stream  since  known  aa 
the  McI<eod  river.  His  horses  and  mules  froze  to  death;  he  was  compelled 
to  cache  his  furs  in  the  snow,  and  aft  erincrudiblc  hardships  and  sufferings, 
he  and  his  men  reached  Fort  Vancouver.  Before  the  furs  could  be  re- 
covered the  next  spring,  the  meUing  snow  had  ruined  them  and  McLeod, 
for  bis  imprudence,  or  from  his  misfortunes,  was  discharged  from  the 
employ  of  the  Hudson  Bay  Company. 

While  Smith  was  absent  with  a  party  on  the  Umpqua  expedition,  the 
governor  had  fitlad  out  another  party  of  trappers,  under  Peter  Skein  Ogden. 
Ogden  was  sent  up  the  Columbia  to  the  Snake  river,  where  be  was  to  turn 
southward;  travel  until  he  found  Smith's  trail  over  the  mountains  into  the 
California  valley.  Ogden  crossed  the  mountains  on  Smith's  trail  and 
trapped  successfully  the  iribuuries  of  the  San  Joaquin  and  returned  to  Fort 


5' 


HiSTORlCAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA, 


Vancouver  by  Mcl^od'j  route  of  the  previous  jrear.  Smith  returned  to  the 
Shbshone  coantry.  The  next  ye&r  (1829)  while  descending  the  ColoruJo, 
trading  and  trapping,  he  was  again  attacked  by  Indians  and  lost  all  his 
outfit 

In  tSjo  we  find  him  in  St  Louis,  having  just  returned  from  the  Rocky 
Mountain  Fur  Company's  rendezvous  on  the  Green  river  with  a  wagon  iraia 
of  fura.  He  sold  out  his  interest  in  the  cotnpany  to  Sublette  and  Jackson. 
In  1831,  in  company  with  his  fortner  partners,  he  litted  out  a  train  for  the 
Santa  Fe  trade.  The  party  consisted  of  eighty  five  men,  with  twcTty-three 
wagons,  drawn  by  iix  mutes  each.  Ten  of  the  wagons  belonged  to  Smith, 
and  one,  h  joint  partnership  wagon,  carried  a  piece  of  artillery.  Warner 
entered  the  employ  of  Smith.     He  thus  describes  his  death: 

"Between  the  Arkansas  and  the  Cimarron  rivers  the  party  suffered 
ertrcmcly  from  a  hot,  burning  south  wind  and  the  want  of  water.  There 
was  neither  path,  trail  nor  guide  to  lead  the  party  to  water.  On  the  mnro- 
of  the  second  day,  after  leaving  the  Arkansas  river,  Smith  rode  on  la 
■dvance  of  the  train  in  search  of  water.  He  did  not  return.  Sooo  after 
the  arrival  of  the  party  at  Santa  Fe,  (July  4lh,  1831,)  some  New  Mexican 
traders,  who  had  been  out  near  the  Cimarron  river,  trading  with  the  Arapahoi, 
came  into  Santa  Fe,  bringing  the  rifie  and  holster  pistols  of  Smith,  which 
they  said  they  had  purchased  from  the  Indians,  who  stated  that  they  had 
kilted  the  owner  on  the  Cimarron  river.  I'he  Indians  said  that  a  small 
party  of  their  hunters  were  ambushed  behind  the  bank  of  the  river,  waiting 
for  bu0alo  to  come  down  and  drink.  The  bed  of  the  river  in  summ-r  is 
asually  dry,  except  occasional  pools,  where  the  water  comes  to  the  surface. 
While  the  Indians  were  ambushed  near  a  water  hole,  a  horseman  rode  up, 
dismounted,  and  he  and  his  horse  drank  from  the  pool.  While  standing 
by  bis  horse,  they  suddenly  rushed  upon  him,  thrusting  a  lance  through  hia 
body.  He  turned  upon  them  and  shot  one  of  their  number  dead.  The 
rifie  and  pistols  were  percussion  locks,  with  which  the  Indians  were  not 
acquainted,  so  they  sold  them  to  the  New  exican  traders."  Thus 
perished  by  the  hands  of  cowardly  savages  in  the  wilds  of  New  Mexico,  m 
man  who  through  almost  incredible  dangers  and  sufferings  had  explored  an 
unknown  region,  as  vast  in  extent  as  that  which  gave  faaie  and  immoitality 
to  the  African  explorer,  Stanley;  and  who  marked  out  trails  over  mountains 
and  across  deserts  that  Fremont  following  years  afterwards,  won  the  title  of 
"Pathfinder  of  the  Great  West." 

Two  of  Captain  Smith's  brothers  accompanied  the  train.  The  widow 
of  Peter  Smith  one  of  these  brothers,  before  her  death,  wrote  the  following 
account  of  the  tragedy  in  which  Smith  tost  his  life.  (A  copy  of  the  account 
mu  kindly  furnished  me  by  W.  K.  Bacon,  Esq.,  nephew  by  marriage  of 
Capt.  Smith:)     **Wfaen  well  out  in  the  desert  he  found  that  his  guide  was 


CAPT.  JEDhDJAH  S.  SMITH. 


sa 


incompetent  and  that  the  wajr  had  been  lent.  After  traveling  for  three 
days  <rithout  water,  Capuin  Smith  set  out  alone  in  seirch  of  the  Cimarron 
river,  the  only  known  water  supply  in  that  part  of  the  country.  As  was 
afterwards  ftsceruincd  he  had  traveled  fifteen  miles  when  he  struck  the 
Cimarron,  he  followed  down  its  dry  bed  until  he  found  a  small  water  hole, 
dismounted  and  drank  and  let  his  horse  drink,  and  was  in  the  act  of  re- 
mounting when  be  was  surrounded  by  Indians,  the  chief  of  whom  made  a 
thrust  with  a  spoar  which  Smith  received  in  his  right  arm.  Reatiting  that 
he  must  die,  he  determined  to  sell  his  life  as  dearly  as  possible,  and  with 
this  pistol  and  its  mate  killed  three  of  the  Indians,  one  of  them  being  the 
chief  of  the  tribe.  This  pistol  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  Indians,  and  for 
the  reason  that  it  had  killed  their  chief,  they  regarded  it  as  "evil  medicine'' 
and  sold  it  to  a  party  of  Mexicans  who  were  out  trading  at  the  time.  From 
these  Mexicans,  Smith's  brother  who  was  with  the  train  recovered  the  pistol 
and  received  the  foregoing  accouni  of  Capuin  Smith's  death.  A  party  was 
sent  out  from  the  train  which  recovered  the  body.  It  was  buried  at  Santa 
Fe." 

The  pistol  referred  to  above  and  the  holstera  are  now  in  the  possession 
of  Mrs.  W.  R.  Bacon,  of  No,  928  Burlington  avenue,  this  city.  Mrs.  Bacon 
it  a  niece  of  Captain  Jedediah  S.  Smith  and  the  daughter  of  his  youngest 
brother,  Peter  Smith.  It  ta  a  silver  mounted  single  barreled  pistol  of  large 
caliber;  Smith  had  carried  the  pistols  ten  years.  Captain  Smith  kept  a  journal 
of  his  travels  and  adventures.  He  had  prepared  maps  of  the  country  that 
he  had  explored  with  the  intention  of  publishing  a  book  of  his  travels.  His 
papers  and  maps  were  stored  in  a  building  in  St.  Louis,  Just  before  be 
gtarted  on  his  last  journey  the  building  was  burned  and  all  his  collections 
lost.  Smiih  seems  to  have  been  a  man  whom  "Unmerciful  disaster  followed 
fast  and  followed  faster"  through  life;  and  yet  his  disasters  were  not  the  re- 
mits of  indiscretion  but  rather  a  coacomitant  of  bis  adventurous  nature,  and 
the  perilous  vocatioo  he  followed. 


HEMORIAL     SKETCH      OF     GENERAL      JOHN 

HANSFIELD. 


BV   a.   D.    BAKKOWS, 


(Read  June  i.  1896.) 


thi 


and 


Since  our  last  stated  meeting,  anoiher  member 
(ri  its  honored  foui<ders,  has  paued  avaT.  The  death — which  came  with 
startling  suddenness  from  apoplexy.  May  6,  1896,  of  Gen.  John  Mansfieldf 
removes  from  our  midst  an  eminent  citizen  whose  temces  to  our  com- 
munity, to  our  cnmmonwealih  and  to  our  common  country,  should  be  writ 
in  large  letters,  for  the  profit  and  edilicaiion  of  his  fellow  cititens,  who 
nirviTe  him;  but  more  especially  because  of  the  wholesome  influence,  which 
the  record  of  an  aimurt  ideal  public  life,  alwayi  exertt  on  the  rising  getiera' 
tion. 

Whilst  this  sketch  of  Gen.  Mansfield's  career,  must,  from  the  necesst- 
tie>  of  the  occasion,  be  limited  to  a  mere  skeleton  outline^  nereitbeless, 
there  is  erery  reason  why  It  should  be  supplemented  by  a  fuller  and  mote 
detailed  account  of  his  military  services  in  the  war  of  the  Rebellion,  and  of 
his  political  and  civic  services  to  the  state  of  California.  For  there  are 
abundant  materials  availalile  for  such  a  life  at  his  dcaih.  and  tn  public 
records,  as  well  as  in  the  memories  of  living  persons  who  knew  him,  more 
or  less  intimately,  fur  many  years.  And  if  property  written,  it  would  be 
fall  of  interest,  and  would,  as  I  have  said  above,  convey  an  admirable  moral 
leG$r>n  which  could  be  commended  to  the  young  without  reservation;  for,  as 
the  bar  association  of  Los  Angeles  county  so  well  and  justly  said  in  their 
memorial  resolutions:  "General  Mansfield  was  distinguished  for  an  interest 
in  public  affairs,  wlheK  did  not  have  for  it*  prime  ohjf.t  (he  advance 
fiient  of  »elf,  but  always  showed  itseU  in  actions  directed  toward  the  ac- 
eoroplishment  of  purposes  designed  for  the  public  good."  In  this  selfish 
world,  such  characters  are  all  too  rare. 

General  Man-ilield  was  a  native  of  Monroe  county,  New  York,  and  was 
74  years  of  age  at  the  time  of  his  death.  In  early  life  he  emigrated  to  Wis- 
consin, where  he  took  an  active  part  in  puMic  affairs. 

In  the  winter  preceeding  the  breaking  out  of  the  civil  war  (1860-61,) 
be  organized  an  independent  company  of  infantry  for  military  drill,  etc  , 
wbicb  was  known  as  the  Portage  City  Light  Guard.  When  Fort  Sumter 
was  attacked,  he  and  bis  comitany  of  too  men,  were  among  the  very  first  to 
volunteer  their  services  in  behalf  of  their  country,  in  response  to  the  call  of 
the  president  for  75,000  men.  Captain  Mansfield  left  a  wile  and  three 
small  children  to  go  to  the  war.  His  company  became  a  part  of  the  Second 
■"'•fionrin  R^ment,  which  left  Madison  in  June,   1861,  1050  strong,  to 


MEMORIAL  SKETCH  OF  GENERAL  JOBS  MANSFIELD.       55 

join  the  arnajr  of  the  Potomac,  but  vhich  returned  after  completing  its  three 
years  of  "service,  with  but  155  men,  in  addition  to  some  twenty  veterans  who 
had  re  enhsted,  and  forty  five  who  had  been  wounded  and  had  fallen  into 
the  hands  of  the  enemf.  In  other  words,  this  splendid  regiment,  which 
left  Madison  thirty-five  years  ago  this  month,  more  than  one  thousand 
ilrong,  (by  the  way,  Mrs.  Carr  with  {Mthetic  sadness  told  the  writer  at 
General  Mansfield's  funeral  the  other  day  that  she  pcmembered  as  if  it  were 
but  yesterday,  the  departure  of  the  regiment  which  included  Captain  Mans- 
field's company;)  had  been  reduced  by  its  three  years  service,  to  sao  men, 
all  told.  It  took  part  in  many  historic  battles-  At  Gettysburg  it  formed  a 
part  of  the  First  Brigade  of  Wadsworth's  Division,  1st  Corps,  Army  of  the 
Potomac;  and  it  opened  the  infantry  fight  in  that  memorable  contest  of 
giants  which  commenced  on  the  ist  day  of  July,  1863. 

The  casualties  of  'hit  regiment  in  that  first  day's  fight,  for  the  numb«ts 
engaged,  were  unparalleled  in  the  history  of  any  regiment  during  the  war. 
The  official  liguics  were: 

Number  engaged,  officers  19;  men  273;  total  302;  officers  killed,  2; 
men  killed,  25;  total  37;  officers  wounded,  n;  men  wcunded  143;  total 
>53;  officers  missing,  6;  men  missing,  47;  total  53;  total  killed,  wouoded 
and  misting,  233;  left  for  duty,  Aij 

Early  in  the  engagement  Colonel  Faircblld  was  wounded,  and  the 
command  devolved  on  Mansfield.  Later  in  this  three  days  battle,  he  was 
wounded  and  was  taken  prisoner,  and  sent  to  Libby  prison,  where  he  le- 
mained  four  ntonlhs,  when  he  was  exchanged. 

Gen  Mansfield  was  several  times  promoted  for  gallant  and  meritorious 
services  in  battle,  and  was  finally  brevetted  as  brigadier  general;  and  at  the 
dcse  of  the  war  be  was  placed  in  command  of  the  reserve  forces  stationed 
in  and  around  Washingt>n,  remaining  in  the  service  thereafter  two  or  three 
years. 

Mrs.  Mansfield  and  two  sons,  survive  the  general.  The  family  settled 
permanently  in  Los  Angeles  over  twenty  years  ago. 

General  Mansfield  was  a  prominent  member  of  the  second  constitu- 
tional convention  of  this  State;  and  he  was  elected  as  the  first  Lieutenant- 
Governor  under  the  new  constitution  formulated  by  that  body;  and  as 
presiding  officer  of  the  Senate,  he  did  the  State  valuable  service.  The 
vicious  legislation  which  had  often  been  made  possible  by  the  enactment  of 
bills  without  reading  or  only  reading  by  titles,  had  induced  the  convention 
to  insert  a  provision  requiring  all  bil|s  to  be  read  in  full  three  times  before 
final  passat^e.  But  the  first  Senate,  and  probftbly  both  houses,  proceeded  to 
read  proposed  bills  merely  by  title,  when  Lieutsnant-Govcrnor  Mansfield  ai 
President  of  the  Senate,  insisted — and  it  became  necessary  for  him  to  make 
a  decided  stand — that  this  provision  of  the  Constitution  must   be  literally 


56  mSTORTCAL  SOCIRTT  OF  SOUTffSRJr  CALIFORNIA. 


cooftroed,  othenriie  all  legtslatioa  aoder  that  insminieot  vu  liable  to  be 
ionlidated  and  infiaite  mischief  would  follow.  Aad  to  finally,  at  tbc  com- 
meaccment  of  the  sessioo  of  the  Legislature,  both  the  Senate  aod  the 
AMembtjr  adopted  Lieutenant  Governor  Mansfield's  iDterpretaaon  of  the 
Coiutiiution,  and  thu«  the  danger  was  avoided.  In  after  rears,  GoTcmor 
Mansfield  recounted  to  me,  and  as  I  thought  with  justifiable  pride,  the 
BUad  he  took  in  this  matter,  because  it  prerented,  before  it  was  too  late,  aa 
he  believed,  the  grave  evils  that  would  have  resulted  from  having  doubt  cast  I 
on  early  legislation  bjr  loose  and  unwaranted  constitutional  interpretatian. 

General  Mansfield  was  most  highly  esteemed  by  the  community,  but  he 
never  eought  office  after  the  expiration  of  his  term  as  lieutenant  Governor. 
Nevertheless,  he  at  various  times  was  appointed  snd  served  as  a  director  of 
the  Public  library  of  this  city,  as  a  trustee  of  the  State  Xormal  School  (two 
terms;)  and  as  president  of  our  Historical  Society.  In  the  latter  be  took  a 
lively  interest  from  its  founding  till  his  death.  He  was  particularly  jealous 
of  its  good  name  which  he  did  much  to  build  up.  He  hiid  the  true  histori- 
cal spirit,  and  believed  with  Macauley,  that  "those  who  take  no  interest  in 
theit  ancestors,  do  not  deserve  to  be  remembered  by  their  posterity." 

General  Mansfield  will  meet  no  more  in  the  Qesh  with  our  Society;  but 
his  Memory  will  be  cherished,  not  only  by  the  living  members  of  thii 
Society,  but  by  the  community  at  targe,  who  will  miss  his  venerable,  manly 
figure  and  fine  personality,  with  which  our  people  have  been  familiar  for  io 
many  years.     Peace  to  his  ashesi  aod  beoisous  to  his  mcmoryl 


THE  VALUE  OF  A  HISTORICAL  SOCIETY. 


ay  hus.  m.  burton  wituAMsoK. 


(Read  Oct  la,  1896.) 

Before  trying  to  answer  the  question,  "what  ii  the  vftlue  of  a  Historical 
Society?"  it  might  be  well  to  turn  our  attention  elsewhere,  'o  we  what  our 
Government,  and  the  different  States,  are  doing  in  the  line  of  hist''ry.  In  an 
address  before  th«  American  Historical  Association,  corap-'sed  of  several 
hundred  members,  reprctcnling  some  of  ihc  most  learned  men  of  the 
nation,  Mr.  A.  Howard  Clark,  said  in  regard  to  "What  the  United  States 
has  done  for  History,"  that  the  Government  had  "spent  more  than  $2,000,* 
000  in  the  aquisition  and  publication  of  records  pertaining  alone  to  our 
country's  history.  It  has  spent  many  millions  more  in  the  erection  of 
historical  memorials,  in  preservation  of  histf'ricat  places,  and  in  celcLiration 
of  historical  events,  and,  is  annually  expending  more  than  $350,000  directlf 
in  behalf  of  American  history  "  No  nation  ever  undertook  srtch  a  magni5- 
scent  histurical  work  as  is  now  appr(,4ching  completion  under  charge  of 
most  efficient  bureaus  of  the  War  and  Navy  Department." 

What  are  the  various  Stales  tivioji  in  BUiitainin(c  historical  societies 
According  to  the  latest  report  of  the  American  Historical  Association,  ther* 
arc  now  over  300  historical  societies.  These  are  distributed  all  over  the 
United  Sutcs  from  Maine  to  Ciliforaia.  Of  this  number, 'Tassachus^lts 
claims  63,  New  York  57.  and  Oiu  own  State  4,  known  as  the  Cnlifornia 
Hiilorical  Society,  (San  Francisco;)  Pioneer  Association,  (..f  the  Counties  of 
Marin,  Napa,  Lake  and  Mendocina  Petaluina;)  Society  of  California  Pio. 
neers,  (San  Francisco;)  and  the  Historical  Society  of  Southern  California, 
(1,03  Angeles.)  But  two  of  these  are  really  Historical  Sncictics.  A  brief 
outline  of  the  origin  of  the  Historical  Society  of  Southern  California  may 
not  be  inappropriate  here: 

The  idea  of  organizing  a  Historical  Society  in  Southern  CalifrTnia  was 
first  oriijinated  by  Judge  Noah  Levering,  in  1883.  Judge  Levering  was 
at  that  time  and  had  for  a  number  of  years  been  an  active  member  of  the 
Iowa  State  Historical  Society,  and  fully  appreciating  the  value  of  a  His- 
torical Society  to  a  community,  began  an  active  canvass  for  members  to 
found  one  in  his  adopted  home.  His  success  at  first  was  not  encouraging- 
bul  by  persevering,  he  at  length  secured  enough  names  to  warrant  him  in 
making  a  call  of  a  meeting  for  the  purpose  of  organizing.  The  first  meeting 
appointed  at  the  State  Normal  Building  was  not  a  success,  only  four  per- 
■ons  reporting.  The  next  meeting  held  on  November  i,  18S3,  in  the  City 
Court  Room,  Temple  Block,  was  more  successful     The  following  named 


58  fflSTORULSOCIETr  OrSOUTHERJf  CJITFOHXTA, 


gendriDeo  were  preseat  and  euvlled  thmselres  membcn  of  tbr  society: 
Col  J.  J.  \Varrer,  Ntah  Lc*-wing,  H.  D.  Barrows,  Gea  John  Maos&elJ, 
Prot  J.  M.  Gainn,  Mtj,  C  N.  Wilson,  ExGo»  J.  G.  Downey.  Prot  In 
M-  r«.  J.  B.  Nilet,  A-  Kohtei,  Don  Aotooio  F  Coronel,  George  Hansen,  A. 
}.  Brsdficid,  MaJ.  E  W.  Janes  and  Prof.  Marou  Baker.  Col  J  J. 
Wa- ner  was  elected  president  and  Maj.  C  N.  Witsoa  secretary.  The 
loriecy  at  first  ^rew  quite  rapidly.  It  wbs  sameihing  new— <wai  popular — 
and  a  number  •  f  that  class  who  are  always  on  the  lookout  for  lomeihing  to 
benrfit  self  joired,  only  to  fall  off  when  they  tound  that  to  maintain  a  His- 
torical Sodecy  reiiuired  hard  work,  and  co«isiAni  oatUr;  and  that  there  was 
no  individual  return  except  the  sati»facti'~'n  of  having  labored  for  the  general 
food  of  the  community. 

The  actual  local  value  of  our  society  to  the  ccnnmumty  in  which  it  b 
ttxated  can  not  be  estimated  in  dollars  and  cents.  In  the  thirteen  years  of 
bs  existence  it  has  published  nearly  one  thousand  pages  of  origina)  historical 
and  scientific  nutter-  lu  publications  hare  been  widely  circulated  They 
have  lound  their  way  into  the  libraries  of  the  leading  historical,  scienli6c 
and  geographical  societies,  and  into  the  Ubrarits  of  the  principal  college* 
and  univeruties  of  the  United  States.  In  addition  to  these  we  have  re> 
ceived  requests  for  them  from  colleges  and  individuals  in  Europe,  Australia 
and  Canada. 

The  influence  of  rur  publications  in  directing  attention  to  Southcra 
California  has  no  doubt  htea  much  greaier  than  even  iis  members  are 
aware.  This  influence  has  been  exerted  upon  the  very  best  class  of  penons 
— the  intelligent  and  educated. 

Independent  of  any  pecuniary  profit  that  may  accrue  to  the  com- 
munity or  to  the  individual,  is  the  educational  influence  that  such  a  society 
exerts.  Every  year  the  value  of  the  study  of  history  is  more  and  more 
recognit  d  by  out  leading  edticational  institutions.  To  the  published  worVs 
of  the  local  historicaJ  societies,  institutions  and  individual  historians  must 
look  for  valuable  aid  in  historical  work. 

Although  history  is  defined  as  the  record  of  consecutive  public  events, 
yet,  there  are  m«ny  deparlnsenis  in  literature  that  contribute  v>  its  value — 
annals,  chronicles,  bio^rsphies,  autobiographies,  travels,  the  daily  ptess,  all 
furnish  materials  (or  the  historian.  We  have  passed  the  piiraitjv^  period 
of  mentality  when  printed  matter  is  accepted  as  authoritive,  unless  verified 
by  some  other  testimony,  or  some  other  than  cold  type  authority,  even  if  the 
matter  di-es  priwtd  Jncin  appear  plausible.  We  kcow  that  many  valuable  facts 
are  surrounded  by  an  accumulation  of  unreliable  statements,  and  here  is 
where  a  wide  awake  society  can  help  posterity  by  winnowing  out  the  chaff 
and  revealing  the  wheat;  by  eliminaiinK  fiction  from  truth.  This  should  be 
nuch  of  the  current  pri'itcd  material  gatheted  tor  historical  work. 


THE  VALITE  OF  A  HISTORICAL  SOCtBTY. 


39 


This  in«ans  work,  and  hard  work,  for  it  can  only  be  dune  by  comparing 
records,  tracing  events  and  Tollnwing  out  sequences.  Our  society  contaias 
men  who  are  qualiR«l  for  such  a  taslc,  and  we  have  valualile  records,  but 
the  difficult;  of  consulting  these  records  holds  much  oi  this  work,  in  abey' 
Hicei  Shall  we  wait  until  those  are  qualiHed  to  discern  the  true  from  the 
false,  in  the  history  of  past  events,  are  no  longer  wich  us^ 

There  is  a  good  deal  of  hLstorical  data  existing  in  the  memory  of  our 
oddest  dtizena  and  pioneers.  Many  valuable  historical  events  are  remem- 
bercd  bv  our  Sjianish  and  Mexican  citizens  and  snme  of  our  members  are 
fufficienil)'  versed  in  the  Spanish  language  to  bring  to  u.s  reminiscences  of 
our  olds;  inhabitants;  and,  many  uf  our  pioneers  remember  the  inception 
and  early  growth  of  ev^its  that  are  now  culminating  around  us. 

What  a  rich  Rcld  for  historical  data  is  before  us!  Think  of  Massa' 
chusctts  with  63  histiH'ical  societies,  while  only  one  incorporated  historical 
society  exists  in  Southern  California,  and  that  one  is  allowed  to  sufTer  fo' 
want  of  mcansi  Then  we  have  abundant  material  for  history  and  plenty  of 
work  for  a  historical  society.  Compare  the  limited  amnync  of  historical 
data  not  already  written  up  in  the  older  States  which  are  able  to  maintain 
half  a  hundred  societies,  with  the  opportunities  for  collatiag  history  in 
Southern  Caltforniat 

Our  local  history  rurnishea  us  with  unusual  and  interesting  events. 
The  landing  of  the  Spanish  navigators,  the  founding  of  the  Missions  by  the 
fathers,  the  growth  of  Southern  California  during  the  Mexican  regime,  the 
finding  of  gold  and  the  wild  rush  to  California  from  all  parts  of  the  world, 
and  finally  the  influx  of  pe.  pie  from  all  parts  nf  the  United  States  to  Cal- 
ifornia; furnish  eras  full  of  historical  data  But,  aside  from  this  society, 
the  general  impression  seems  to  prevail  that  the  history  of  Southern  Cal- 
ifornia is  of  no  value  outside  of  the  Missions.  This  shows  h>w  we,  as  a 
people,  «acri6ce  that  which  is  equally  important,  in  the  interest  of  the 
aesthetic.  I  would  not  be  understood  as  disparaging  the  study  of  the  Mis- 
sions, no  history  would  be  complete  without  them,  but  would  wish  to  be 
uoderstofid  ai  in  favor  of  granting  to  that  era  of  our  history  only  its  due 
proportion  of  study  as  one  of  the  most  important  subdivisions  of  our  many 

aded  history. 

Few  locieties  have  labored  under  greater  disadvantages,  as  a  society, 
than  the  Historiral  Society  of  Southern  California  For  a  time  its  ac 
cumulation  of  books,  papers,  letters,  curios  and  so  forth,  were  stored  in  the 
State  Normal  School  BuiMinn  in  Los  Angeles,  but  were  eventually  crowded 
oat  to  make  more  room  for  the  school;  the  County  Supervisors  allowed  us 
the  use  of  a  large  room  in  the  fourth  story  of  the  Court  House,  but  finally 
that  room  was  needed  by  the  County,  and  the  Society's  valuable  accumula- 
tions  were  conveyed  to  a  gallery  oi  one  of  the  court  rooms,  where  they  arc 


HISTORIC  HOUSES  OF   LOS  ANOELES. 


>T  ;.  M.  OUIWII. 


(Read  Oct.  9,  1S96.) 


[I 


tr>t>er| 


Old 


loi^  rince  disappeared. 


The  historic  hooae 

The  perishable  materUl  (adobe  or  son-dricd  brick)  of  which  they  wen  coo- 
itnicted,  combined  with  the  utoessitf,  as  the  town  grew  larger,  of  more 
oomraodioQS  bniMings  on  their  nies  haiiened  their  demolition.  The  few 
houses  of  the  Mexican  era  that  remaia,  date  their  erection  well  along  in 
the  first  half  of  the  present  century.  The  Pueblo  de  Nuestta  S«Aora  La 
Reyna  de  I^oi  Angeles  of  the  last  centory  has  disappeared  froa  the  (ace  of 
the  earth.  It  is  doobtful  whether  even  a  fragiDent  of  the  rvins  of  any  otte 
of  the  old  houses  of  a  century  ajco  exists.  Even  the  exact  locatiaa  of  the 
old  plata  on  which  they  fronted  is  unknown  and  the  narrow  streets  that  led 
out  from  it  have  tonf  nnce  been  obliterated.  The  Old  l.os  Angdei  of  the 
18th  century  with  iu  adobe  wall  that  fenced  oat  alike  the  hostile  Indtan 
ud  the  lowing  herds  has  disappeared  as  completely  as  have  the  mod  walls 
of  the  town  that  Romulus  and  Remus  built  by  the  Tiber  three  ihonaand 
years  ago. 

THB  •ICWUtTXL  VllJO," 

The  oldest  house  of  historic  note  built  in  Los  Angeles  was  the 
ciuutjtl  or  guard  bouse.  Its  erectioo  was  besun  shortly  after  the  foaoding 
of  the  pueblo;  and  U  was  completed  about  1 786.  It  was  used  as  quarters 
for  the  guard  of  the  king's  sc^diers  sutioaed  here  to  assiu  the  colootsts  tn 
defense  agunst  attacks  of  hostile  Indians.  The  Old  CuartM  was  a  square 
adobe  structure  with  thick  walls,  small  iroo  barred  wiod-ws  and  a  heavy 
tiled  roof.  It  stood  on  the  southeasterly  side  of  the  oid  plaza,  neariy  oa 
the  Une  of  Marchessault  street  north  of  the  Church,  i»ear  Upper  Main 
street  Its  ruins  were  still  extant  at  the  time  of  the  American  cooqoest 
(1846.)  After  it  ceased  to  be  used  for  a  coart^  it  was  turned  into  a  carc44 
or  prison.  Its  inmates  in  the  later  years  of  its  history  were  ooC  always 
iwdeCactors  Sometimes  it  bsppeoed,  in  the  political  ophcarals  so  frequent 
tftniog  the  Mexican  regime,  that  the  victon  in  tbe  terohition  tent  the  IcMl- 
en  ctf  the  vanqmshed  facUoo  to  jvH.  At  socb  tanei  tbe  old  cuattM  became 
beadqnattets  lor  staiecmen  out  of  ■  job.  Dtirillg  tbe  tuilitary  despotiam  gf 
GorertKr  Victwia,  in  1 8ji,  tt  is  said  that  mote  than  half  a  htmdivd  of  the 
leading  csiitem  of  Los  Kof/^ties,  at  one  time  or  wwlher,  were  tocuccnted 
io  the  Pari)lo  Budk.   Akalde  Vkcfite  Saocbet  «bs  the  pesqp  dopot  of  tbe 


THE  VALUE  OF  A  HISTORICAL  SOCIETY. 


«l 


clubs  are  formed  for  the  discu'^ion  and  adrancement  &.  economic,  lodal- 
istic,  educational  and  philanthropic  aims.  Tiicre  is  an  inspiration  in  meet- 
ing with  oiher  workers  in  the  same  pcrsuit;  new  lines  of  investigation  are 
presented  and  fallacies  are  corrected.  We  know  this  ha*  otten  been 
proven  in  our  Historical  Society  for  the  discussion  of  papers  prepared 
and  read  before  the  Society  has  often  brought  other  points  to  bear  upon 
the  subject  and  corrected  fallacies  that  bad  crept  in  without  the  knowl* 
edge  of  the  writer. 

Why  a  Historical  Society  instead  of  some  other  form  of  literary  organ* 
izAtion,  may  be  briefly  stated;  there  is  an  inspiration  in  working  with 
others,  and  more  is  accomplished.  Persons  not  directly  interested  may 
become  so  by  hearing  papers  read  upon  the  subject,  and  many  can  help  by 
becoming  members  and  contribu:ing  towards  the  funds  of  the  society  in 
this  way  increasing  historical  literature.  A  historical  society  can  collect  and 
collate  valuable  papers  that  would  not  be  offered  to  individuals  as  gifts; 
for  the  traditions  a"d  historical  curios  of  a  family  are  bettu  presenred  in 
the  archives  and  museum  of  a  responsible  society,  than  if  left  without  ft 
custodian,  Faltaces  io  current  history  can  be  corrected  by  members  com- 
petent to  do  srj. 

It  can  be  somethin;;  more  than  a  buoy,  if  it  is  a  strong  society;  it 
can  be  tike  a  piei  or  projecting  wbarf,  a  landing  place  for  the  shipt.  of  time 
to  unload  some  of  Iheir  cargo  before  tbey  pass  into  the  ocean  of  obscurity. 


64  mSTORICALSOCIETT OFSOUTHBRJf  CALIFORJfl^- 


attached.  The  chaiDS  were  fastened  to  the  shackles  on  the  prisonen'  legs. 
Thus  each  cnminal  wss  picketed  out  like  a  coopless  chickeo  dc&igncd  Tor  the 
ax;  and  it  might  be  added  th  it  the  culprit  like  the  chicken  sumctimes  %o\ 
it  in  the  neck,  when  some  vigilance  committee  delegated  to  itself  the 
authority  to  regulate  the  morals  ot'  the  town,  'there  was  caste  among  the 
criminals  of  the  early  '50s.  Only  the  "gente  de  razon,"  (people  of  reason) 
Americans  and  Spanish— were  allowed  to  occupy  ihe  "Ix>ma  Cuartftl." 
The  pariahs  of  Los  Angeles  society — the  Indians  and  Meaican  half  breeds, 
were  chained  to  logs  outside,  where  unprotected  by  roof  or  wall,  they  were, 
through  sunshine  and  storm — left  to  enjoy  the  glorious  climate  of  California. 

(The  pioneer  jail  of  Klamath  County  in  1855,  was  a  huge  live  oak  tree. 
Staples  driven  into  the  trunk  with  chains  attached,  secured  the  prisoners. 
Sentence  to  solitary  confinement  uoder  the  circumstances  was  not  imposed 
in  that  county.) 

In  1853  a  new  jail  was  built  on  what  is  DOW  the  site  of  the  Phillips 
Block,  northwest  corner  of  North  Spring  and  Franklin  streeta.  The 
Cuart^I  on  the  hill  was  changed  into  a  dwelling  house.  It  was  demolished 
when  Beaadry  graded  down  the  hill  on  New  High  street. 

THB   "NUEVA  IGLESIA." 

The  oldest  building  now  occupied  or  used  in  our  city  is  the  Church  of 
Our  Lady  of  the  Angels.  It  is  probably  the  only  building  now  in  use  that 
dates  its  erection  in  the  Spanish  era  of  our  ci-y's  history.  Its  corner  stone 
was  laid  in  1814,  but  just  where  is  not  known.  Its  location  was  changed  to 
higher  ground — its  present  site — in  1818.  The  great  flood  of  1815,  when 
the  waters  of  the  river  came  up  to  the  lower  side  of  the  old  plata  probably 
necessitated  the  change.  Although  it  is  rather  a  modest  and  unpretentious 
structure  it  took  four  years  to  build  it.  The  builders  seemed  to  have  been 
more  willing  to  wait  than  to  labor.  The  Pueblo  colonists  were  poor  in 
purse  and  chary  of  physical  exertion.  When  their  own  means  were  ex- 
hausted they  asked  the  Missions  for  aid.  The  contributions  to  the  btiild- 
ing  fund  were  various  in  kind  and  somewhat  incrmgruous  in  character. 

San  Miguel  contributed  500  cattle,  San  Luis  Obispo  300,  Santa  Bar- 
bara one  barrel  of  brandy,  San  Diego  two  barrels  of  white  wine,  Purisima 
six  mules  and  zoo  cattle,  San  Gabriel  two  barrels  of  brandy,  and  San  Fer- 
nando one.  Bancroft  says  that  "the  citizens  promptly  converted  the  brandy 
into  money,  some  of  them  drinking  immense  quantities  in  their  zeal  for  the 
Bjwritual  welfare  of  the  town."  The  church  was  completed  and  formally 
dedicated,  December  8,  1832.  The  church  building  was  rcmodlad  in 
1861,  The  front  which  projected  out  into  the  street  was  by  order  of  the 
City  Council,  cut  back  to  the  line  of  the  side  walk.  The  tiled  roof  was 
changed  to  a  shingled  one,  and   the  tower  altered.     The  Curate  house 


BISTORIC  HOUSES  OF  LOS  ^JfGELBS. 


65 


which  was  a  miaU  tdobe  building,  w&s  torn  down  and  the  preient  brick 
structure  erected.  The  groundi  on  the  north  were  enclosed  and  orna- 
mented. The  prc!tent  building  and  itt  surroundings  bear  but  little  re- 
semblance to  the  "N'ueva  Iglesia"  (new  church)  that  Padre  Payeras  labored 
so  earnestly  to  curopletc  seventy-five  y>ar8  ajiO.  It  was  called  the  "New 
Church"  to  distinguish  it  fr  m  the  first  church  or  chapel  buitt  shortlr  a'ler 
the  founding  of  the  Pueblo,  which  was  located  at  the  foot  of  the  hill  on 
what  is  now  Bue^a  Visia  street. 

THE  CAHRILLO  HOUSE. 

or  the  historic  dwelling  houses  of  Los  Angeles,  the  Carrillo  house,  that 
stood  where  the  Pico  House  or  National  Hotel  now  stands,  was  the  most 
noted  in  early  days.  June  21,  iSai,  Jose  Antonio  Carrillo  petitioned  the 
Comisionado  for  a  house  lot  near  the  "new  Temple  which  is  being  built  for 
the  benefit  of  our  holy  reiigioD."  The  lot  40x60  varas  (114x170  feet)  was 
granted  next  day.  This  Is  the  only  record  of  a  grant  of  a  houK  lot  made 
between  1786  and  1836 — just  one  real  estate  transfer  in  fifty  years. 

When  Lieut.  Ord  made  his  pkin  of  the  City  of  Los  Angeles  in  1849, 
he  took  as  the  initial  point  of  his  surrey  the  northwest  corner  of  Csrrillo'c 
house  that  stood  on  this  lot.  And  his  bearings  from  a  point  opposite  that 
comer  gave  direction  to  the  lines  of  our  streets,  and  virtually  to  the  plan 
ol  the  city.  The  building  was  begun  in  1821  and  completed  in  1825.  It 
was  the  most  pretentious  and  aristocratic  residence  in  the  Pueblo  at  that 
time.  It  fronted  on  the  ptaza  and  had  wings  extendirg  back  on  Main 
street,  and  from  its  eastern  end,  to  an  adobe  wall  in  the  rear,  thus  inclosing 
a  patio  or  inner  court.  Although  but  a  one-story  building  its  height  gave* 
it  the  appearance  of  a  two  story  house.  Its  high  gabled  roof  of  red  tilei 
and  its  white  walls  were  a  pleasing  contrast  to  the  prevailing  clay  colored 
fronts  and  the  flat  asphaltum  root's  of  the  neighboring  houses.  For  nearly  half 
a  century  It  stood  a  historic  landmark  of  old  Los  Angeles.  It  was  turn 
down  in  September  1869,  and  the  Pico  house  erected  on  its  site.  Within 
the  Old  Carrillo  house  was  held  many  a  royal  feast  and  revel,  and  within  its 
walls  too,  wai  concocted  many  a  political  plot  and  intrigue;  for  its  owner 
was  a  schenung  politician  as  well  as  a  right  royal  entertainer.  In  its  spa- 
cious ball  room  many  a  gay  assemblage  gathered—the  beauty  and  the 
chivalry  of  the  Pueblo,  and  the  lallow  dips  "ihone  o'er  fair  women  and 
brave  men"  as  they  whirled  through  the  giddy  maws  of  the  dance  In  this 
old  historic  house  was  held  one  of  the  most  sumptuous  and  prolonged 
marriage  feasts  ever  celebrated  in  Alta  California.  It  was  the  celebration 
of  the  marriage  of  Pin  Pico  to  Mari&  Tgnaria  Alvarado  in  1834.  Carrillo 
was  a  brother  inlaw  of  Pico's  (being  married  to  Pico's  sister.)  The  feast- 
ing and  the  dancing  coittinucd  for  eight  days.  All  the  aristocracy  of  the 
Southern  country,  and  all  the  relalners  of  the  houses  of  Pico  and  Carrillo 
from  Han  Oiego  to  Monterey,  gathered  to  do  honor  to  the  DuptiaJs. 


66  BISTORIC^L  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERJi  CJLIFORJ^TA' 


Its  builder,  Joee  Antoaio  Csrrillo,  during  the  Mexicao  era  wac  tbe 
Warwick  of  California  polittct.  He  was  not  a  king  ouker,  bot  he  did  make 
and  unmake  tfovemors.  Ue  was  the  leader  in  the  revolution  that  deposed 
Governor  Victortar  While  representing  California  in  the  Mexican  Congress 
be  bad  bis  brother  Carlos  made  Governor  of  the  Territorr.  He  plotted 
against  AJvarado  and  was  mainlf  instrumental  in  the  overthrow  of  Michel- 
torena,  wnich  made  bis  brother-in  law  ['tco.  Governor.  He  was  a  man  of 
great  natural  ability  but  wasted  bis  talents  in  artifices  aad  intrigoet.  He 
was  never  happier  than  when  be  was  fomenting  a  plot  or  leading  a  revolu- 
tion. He  filled  many  civil  offices  in  the  deparlmeot  and  was  a  military 
commander  of  no  mean  ability.  With  an  inferior  force  poorly  anned,  be 
defeated  Mervine  at  tbe  battle  of  Dominguex  Ranch,  and  by  a  well  coo- 
trived  stratagem  frightened  Stockton's  forces  away  from  San  Pedro.  He 
commanded,  a  squadron  of  cavalry  in  tbe  battles  of  Paso  de  Bartolo  and  La 
Mesa,  and  was  one  of  the  commisuoners  that  negotiated  the  treaty  of 
Cabucnga,  which  gave  California  to  the  United  States.  He  was  a  delegate 
10  the  Constitutional  Convention  in  1849.  He  was  the  ablest  of  the  native 
born  statesmen  of  Cali'omia  during  the  Mexican  period.  Many  of  the 
leading  men  of  that  era  woe  born  in  Mexico  or  in  Spain.  Carrillo  was 
born  in  San  DiegOi  April  11,  1794*  He  died  at  Sanu  Barbara,  April  25, 
1863,  aged  68  years. 

THE    DON    ABEL    STEARNS    HOUSB. 

Another  house  of  historic  note  was  tbe  home  of 
It  stood  on  tbe  site  now  occupied  by  the  Baker  Block, 
lot  in  1S34.  The  boDse  was  erected  between  1S35 
probably  several  years  in  the  course  of  erection,  for  in  the  days  of  poco 
ticmpo,  a  house  was  not  built  in  a  day,  nor  yet  in  a  year.  It  was  a  6 at 
roofed  one-story  structure  covering  quite  a  considerable  area.  At  tbo 
corner  of  Arcadia  and  Main  streets,  a  wtng  extended  out  to  the  line  of  the 
sidewalk.  At  the  southern  end  was  a  similar  projection.  Tbe  centra)  part 
of  tbe  building  stood  back  from  the  street  twenty  five  or  thirty  feet  and  the 
tpacit  between  it  and  the  sidewalk  was  paved  with  cobble  stones.  In  tbe 
rear  was  a  large  patio  or  court  yard  partially  inclosed  by  projecting  vrtngs 
from  the  main  building.  The  patio  was  an  appurtenance  of  all  the  better 
class  of  California  houses  of  early  days.  The  lot  extended  throagh  to  Los 
Angeles  street.  The  Arcadia  Block  covering  the  Los  Angeles  strett  front 
was  erected  in  18^8.  It  was  then  the  largest  business  block  in  the  town 
and  for  fifteen  years  after  was  the  business  center  of  the  city.  Stearns*  Hall 
in  tbe  second  story  of  this  block,  was  for  many  years  the  principal  assembly 
room  for  social  and  political  gatherings. 

Stearns,   although   &   man  of  quick  temper  and  strong  prejadices,  was 
hospitable  and  generous  to  those  be  liked.     He  was  a  convivial  and 


Don   Abd   Steami. 

Steams  bought  thi 

and    183S.     It  was 


HISTORIC  HOUSES  OF  LOS  ANGEI.KS. 


genial  eDtertainer.  Witbin  the  waits  of  his  rambling  old  adobe  home  the 
elite  of  the  Angel  City  as  well  as  the  foreign  guest  were  often  right  royally 
entertained.  Here  Commodore  Ap.  Caic^by  Jones  of  the  United  Stites 
Navy  and  his  ofBcers  were  Icdged  and  entertained  when  the  Commodore 
came  to  Ixis  Angeles  to  met^t  Governor  >richeltoreDa  and  apologize  to  him 
for  capturing  Monterey.  Commodore  Jones,  under  the  impression  that 
war  had  been  declared  between  the  United  States  and  Mexico,  tailed  into 
Monterey  and  captured  ihe  Capital  City,  Oct  19,  184a.  Finding  he 
was  mistaken  he  restored  the  city  to  the  local  authorities  with  an  apology. 
Michchorena  the  newly  appointed  Governor  after  a  protracted  slay  in  San 
Diego  and  Los  Angelei,  had  taken  up  his  line  of  march  northward  with 
his  army  of  300  cholos.  He  had  reached  a  point  near  San  Buenaven- 
tura when  he  heird  of  the  capture  of  the  capital.  He  fled  back  so 
precipitately  that  his  camp  equipage  was  scattered  over  the  plains  from 
Ventura  to  Los  Angeles.  After  waiting  three  months  for  the  Governor 
to  come  to  Monterey,  the  Commodore  was  compelled  to  go  to  Xjh 
Angeles  to  find  him  and  offer  him  his  apologies  in  person.  Peace  and 
harmony  restored,  the  civilities  closed  with  a  grand  ball  which  was  held 
in  the  only  two  story  building  at  that  time  in  Los  Angeles — a  building 
on  the  east  side  of  the  plau  in  what  is  now  Chinatown.  This  was 
probably  Sanchez  Hall  which  is  thus  described  in  the  diary  of  an  old 
pioneer  writing  in  1843.  "We  arrived  in  the  Pueblo  at  8  p.  m.  We 
lud  a  couple  of  dances.  There  was  one  in  Sanchez  Hall,  and  the  other 
in  Stearns.  Sanchez  Hall  is  painted  out  in  the  most  ccroical  style  with 
priests,  bishops,  saints,  horses  and  other  animals — the  effect  is  really 
astonishing."  Governor  Micheltorena  look  the  oath  of  cfficc  in  the  Sanchez 
Hall  Dec.  31,  1841. 

At  the  Steams  house  occurred  the  famotu  flag  episode  of  1839, 
vhich  came  near  precipitating  a  revolution.  Prefect  Cosme  Pefia,  ap 
pointed  by  Governor  Alvarado  to  keep  the  turbulent  Angelcfios  in  subjec' 
tion,  had  established  his  headquarf.rs  in  the  house  of  Don  Abet.  In  front 
of  the  house  he  had  raised  the  flag  of  his  prefecture  and  planted  a  cannon. 
Stearns  with  but  little  respect  for  the  Mexican  flag  (he  hated  Alexico)  used 
the  fkgstaff  for  a  post  to  lie  cattle  to,  that  were  designed  for  slaughter. 

This  desecration  the  patriotic  young  AnRcleftos  resented;  and  while 
Fefia  was  absent  at  San  Pedro,  a  number  of  them  gathered  to  pull  down 
the  Hag;  or  as  another  account  say,  to  sacri6ce  a  bullock  that  was  picketed 
to  the  flag  pole  as  a  peace  offering  to  the  outraged  dignity  of  the  cactus 
perched  eagle  of  the  Mexican  flag.  Pefia  on  his  return  had  the  leaders  ar- 
rested for  sedition  and  obtained  a  guard  of  ten  soldiers  to  protect  bia  Rag. 
The  citizens  petitioned  the  Ayuntamiento  to  ask  him  to  remove  the  flag  to  the 
public   building  where  it   would  be  treated  witb  more  respecL     Pefia  in  a 


HISTOMCAZ.  SOOETY  OF  SOtrrf/£Ji.S'  CAUFOftSTA. 


nv«aivBBdUi(«ee  and  left  bnaihi^vavMceiViBRtlw  Paeblo  de 
Las  Dhhhw    Hwurf  thedCTpi.    He  repaned  Ui  pienades  to  Gonnwc 
AIvBfsdti  M  UoaKRf .    The  twcaty  punoiic  ckiMaa  vho  ripied  ibe  pe^' 
tioD  wne  fined  $5.00  CKh,  lad  the  acaben  of  ibe  AyMMieDto  $10  00 
•Kih.  iicr  thdr  irwpu  u  Mcare  lapect  for  Ae  iag.    Sack  vexe  itw  oa* 
eatsB  rg— diflf|iiiiiiiuimthe  tmhriat  tatft  et  '39.    Tic  Scam 
boHC  MM  doKAhed  id  1S76,  and  the  Baker  Block  erected  ob  its riR. 
MAU.  or  TR  "Aioeos  net  nos.' 
The  bm  wdd  hall  or  dab  hone  ever  bnll  eo  Ae  Psdfic  Cout,  vu 
seoed  ia  Lm  Alleles  in  1844.    It  wu  the  h«n  of  te  Aaigoa  dd  Fii*. 
TheAaiBaidclPab(Friead9af  AeCooatry)  wuiiociety  or  d^ 
op  of  the  leaifiag  dtbens  at  the  to«n,  both  aadre  and  loceiKa  bora.    A '. 
100  Tsns  aittart:,  free  of  taKs,  *as  granted  the  aodety  bf  the  Ajvamii* 
eata     An  adobe  baldiag  was  erected  aad  fitted  Dp  with  a  daariag  hd,J 
reading  room  aad  card  tables-    The  hall  was  dedicated  by  a  pand  ball  and. 
a  awnbcT  of  social  entertaiuaeau  were  held.     The  Aintgoa  (or   a  tine 
eoJTyed  their  aodalprivilq^e*,  sad  the  society   fionriahed      Bat  it 
time  of  fCTohnions  and  polttical   (Satttrbaacn.     In  tinM  social  amenit 
pte  place  to  political  aoioxMities.     Although  the  nwmben  were  "Frieadi| 
of  the  CoonttT,"  iber  became  coesnea  to  oae  another.     The  aocieiT  ran   ia  1 
defaL     Ita  oKmbership  fell  off.     The  boildii^  was  fiaa'tr   pot  up  at  a 
lottery.     Andre*   Pico  drew  the  lackj  oomber.     The  ABUip>i  dd  Pais  dia> 
handed.     Tbdr  tala  (hall)  in  coone  of  time   became  a   inaaiena   (saloon) 
nad  afterwaidi  it  wai  "Los  dot  An^oa«"  the  two  friecda — cbcfticad  bchiadj 
the  bar  and  the  one  in  front  of  it. 

THS  KOVMD  HOUSE. 

The  old  Rmmd  Hooie  was  one  of  the  lajidmarks  of  the  citj  that  for 
nanjr  fcaxa  was  pointed  out  lo  Titit^irs,  and  the  story  of  the  puipoae  for 
which  it  was  constructed  raried  with  each  narrator,  llterc  are  bat  few 
historic  associations  connected  with  it  and  no  m^ery  about  the  purpose 
for  which  it  was  boilL  It  was  built  for  a  dwelling  house  in  the  later  '40$ 
bjr  Rotnan  Alexander,  a  French  sailor,  after  a  model  be  claimed  to  have 
•ecQ  on  the  coast  of  Africa.  He  married  a  natire  Califomian  woman,  and 
for  a  time  tbejr  lived  in  the  house.  It  passed  through  various  hands  aotil  it 
came  into  the  possession  of  George  Lehman  who  fitted  up  the  grounds  for 
a  pleasure  resort,  and  the  building  for  a  saloon.  Of  late  years  writers  refer 
to  tbe  grounds  as  the  Garden  of  EdeiL  Lehman  named  the  resort  the 
Garden  of  Paradise.  The  following  extract  from  the  Los  Angele*  Star  of 
Oct  2,  1858,  gives  an  account  of  tbe  opening  of  tbe  reaort: 
THE  Garden  or  paridisx. 

"The  handsome  grounds  of  the  Round  House  in   tbe  south   part  of 


HfSTORIC  HOUSES  OB  LOS  ANGELES. 


69 


Main  street  have  lately  been  fitted  up  as  a  public  garden  under  the  above 
rather  faigh  sounding  title;  In  it  are  to  be  seen  elegantly  portrayed  the 
primeval  family — Adam  and  Eve — Cain  and  Abel,  also  the  old  serpent  and 
the  Rolden  apples  all  according  to  the  record  There  ia  besides  a  rrame 
work  containing  what  are  called  flyin)^  horses  for  the  amusement  of  children. 
A  t>and  of  music  stauvucd  on  the  balcony  of  the  house  plays  at  inicrvals. 
The  garden  is  tastelully  laid  out  and  is  much  frequented  by  citizens 
especiatly  on  Sundays." 

The  modern  proprietor  (Lehman)  of  the  Garden  of  Paradise  like 
Adam  of  uU  sinned,  nut  however,  by  eating  forbidden  fruit,  but  by  contntct- 
ing  debts  he  could  not  pay-  He  was  driven  out  of  Paradise,  and  with  him 
went  the  primeval  family,  the  old  serpent  and  the  tiolden  apples,  all  of 
which  is  not  "according  to  the  record." 

The  Round  House  a.ood  on  the  west  side  of  Main  street,  below  Third. 
The  Main  street  front  of  the  Gaiden  is  now  occupied  by  the  Finney  Bl.ck, 
the  Pridham  Block  and  new  Turnverein  Hall.  The  grounds  extended 
through  t'j  Spring  street.  On  the  Spring  street  front,  now  corered  by  the 
Hennc,  Breed  and  Lankersheim  Blocks,  was  a  thick  cactus  hedge  which 
barred  entrance  to  the  groynds  from  that  street;  and  was  more  effective 
than  a  flaming  sword  in  keeping  bad  boys  away  from  the  golden  apples  ol 
the  tree  of  knowle'lgc.  The  original  Kound  House  was  built  of  adob^  and 
was  circular  in  form.  Lehman,  or  some  subsequent  owner,  inclosed  it  in  a 
frame  and  weather-boarded  it;  and  in  so  doing  changed  it  to  an  octagonal 
building. 

In  the  arbors  and  under  the  shade  trees,  and  possibly  beneath  the 
spreading  branches  i}f  the  tree  of  knowledge  itself  in  the  Garden  of  Paradise, 
aascmbled  the  patriots  of  Los  Angeles  to  celebrate  the  Centennial  of  our 
Nstion's  Independence,  July  4,  1876.  Hon.  J.  G.  Eastman,  then  in  his 
prime,  delivered  the  oration — one  of  the  most  eloquent  addresses  ever 
delivered  in  the  city.  Twenty  years  ago,  the  Garden  was  well  out  in  the 
suburbs  and  was  classed  as  a  suburban  resort.  The  Round  House  was  torn 
down  in  18S9,  the  Garden  of  Paradise  had  disappeared  several  years  before. 

There  arc  other  houses  of  historic  note  that  have  been  the  scenes  of 
erents  in  the  history  of  our  city  and  of  our  State— such  as  the  Government 
House — the  juzgado,  the  Abila  House,  Don  Louis  VJgnes's  Castle  of  Refuge^ 
(he  First  Court  House,  and  others,  but  space  forbids  their  desrriptJon  io 
tbis  paper.  These  houses  of  (he  olden  time  arc  forgotten  landmarks  to  all 
but  a  few  old  residents;  and  even  in  ihdr  memories  they  have  the  dint 
and  uncertain  outlines  of  something  dreamed  of  but  not  seen. 


THE  CAPTURE  OF  MONTEREY  OCT.  19.  1842. 


BV  J,  U.  OUINM. 


The  ciptare  of  Monterey,  the  capital  of  Alta,  California,  Oct.  19,1841, 

U  an  event  that  from  an  American  standpoint  has  but  little  importance 
beyond  the  fact  that  it  was  a  blunder  of  the  Commodore  of  the  United 
Stales  Siiuadron  in  the  Pacific.  From  the  standpoint  o^  the  Californiao  of 
Ihat  day  it  was  an  event  of  vast  importance — not  so  much  in  immediate 
results  as  it  was  a  premonition  or  prophesy  of  greater  events  surely  coming. 
For  ten  years  preceding  the  capture,  California  bad  been  in  an  almost 
continual  state  of  revolution.  There  had  been  an  average  of  a  new  Gover- 
nor for  each  year  between  1831  and  1841.  The  Territory  had  been 
blessed  (or  cursed)  with  two  Governors  at  a  time  and  once  with  tripleti. 
The  fault  did  not  aUogether  lie  with  California.  The  home  government 
was  largely  to  blame:  Mexico,  herself,  was  in  a  chronic  state  of  revolution. 
The  governmetit  appointees  sent  to  the  Territory  from  Meiico  were  often 
mere  adventurers  in  search  of  gain  or  position,  and  unfit  for  of^ce.  The 
intelligent  leaders  amoa^  the  C>lifornians  had  begun  to  realize  that  a  terri* 
tory  so  rich  in  possibilities  must  ultimately  fall  into  the  hands  of  som« 
foreign  power.  Mexico  could  not  hold  it  in  case  of  war  with  a  itronger 
nation;  and  ihe  Territory  could  not  maintain  its  independence  even  if  al- 
lowed to  peaceably  separate  itself  from  the  mother  country.  The  future  of 
California  hun)^  upon  the  question  of  which  nation,  England,  France,  or  the 
United  States  could  first  pick  a  quarrel  with  Mexico,  or  which  c^uld  secure 
it  by  purchase,  llie  United  States  bad  the  advantage  in  proximity  to  the 
coveted  territory;  and  among  the  alien  population  it  had  the  greatest 
number.  Some  of  these  were  nominally  Mexican  citizens,  but  every  Cat- 
ifornian  knew  that  in  event  of  war  between  Mexico  and  the  United  States^ 
these  naturalized  citizens  would  quickly  renounce  their  allegiance  to  their 
adopted  country. 

The  capture  of  Monterey  revealed  to  the  Californians  that  the  'mani- 
fest destiny"  of  the  Territory,  was  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  Americans, 
To  intelligent,  broad  minded  and  progressive  native  statesmen  like 
Bandini  and  Vallejo,  this  was  a  much  desired  consummation.  Out  to  men 
like  Pico,  Castro  and  Carrillo,  who  had  been  most  active  in  fomenting 
revolutions,  and  who  disliked  Americans,  it  would  be  the  bitiettiesi  oti 
disappointed  ambition,  and  the  1<l-«5  of  power  and  prestige. 

This  was  bugun  with  no  intention  of  writing  an  historic 
this  subject;  although  a   most   interesting  and  original   pai 
written  on  it,  if  tne  author  would  view  the  subject  from   I 
ifomian  standpoint  and   not  from  the  American  stand{> 


THB  CAPTURE   OF  MOl^TEREY. 


73 


all  Catifomian  history  is  written.  It  w«  written  partly  to  introduce  an 
extract  from  the  diary  of  a  pioneer  who  was  an  eye  witnc<s  to  the  capture 
and  whose  aecount  has  the  merit  of  having  been  written  on  the  date  of  thei 
occurrsnce;  and  partly  to  give  some  facts  not  generally  known  in  regard'' 
to  the  coaference  between  Governor  Michcltorena  and  Commodore  Jones 
at  the  Stearns  House  in  Los  Angeles.  C<''mmodore  Jones  and  his  officers 
were  the  6rst  oflScial  represcf^tatiTes  of  our  goTernmeot  who  visited  Lot 
Angeles. 

"Monterey,  Oct  19,  1842.  At  2  p.  m.  the  United  States  man  of 
war  "United  States,"  Commodore  Ap  Catesbj  Jones,  came  to  anchor  close 
along-side  and  inshore  of  all  the  ships  in  port.  About  3  p.  m.  Captain 
Armstrong  came  ashore  accompanied  by  an  interpreter  and  went  direct  to 
the  Gorerooi's  house  where  he  had  a  private  conversation  with  him,  which 
proved  to  be  a  demand  for  the  sarrendcr  of  the  entire  coast  of  Cali- 
fornia, Upper  and  Lower,  to  the  United  States  goveramcnt  When  he 
was  about  to  ^o  on  board  he  gare  three  or  four  coipcs  of  a  proclamation  to 
the  inhabitants  of  the  two  Californias,  assuring  them  of  the  protection  of 
their  lives,  persons  and  property.  In  his  notice  to  the  Governor  (Atrarado) 
he  gave  him  only  until  the  following  morning  at  9  a.  m.  to  decide.  If  he 
received  no  answer  then  he  would  tire  upon  the  town. 

I  remained  on  shore  that  night  and  went  down  to  the  Governor's  with 
Mr.  Larkin  and  Mr.  Eagle.  The  Governor  had  had  some  idea  of  running 
iway  and  leaving  Monterey  to  its  fat-  but  was  told  by  Mr.  Spence  ihat  he 
should  not  g'-',  and  finally  he  resolved  to  await  the  result.  At  twelve  at 
night  some  persons  were  sent  on  bgard  the  United  States,  who  had  be 
appointed  by  the  Governor  to  meet  the  Commodore  and  arrange  the  terms 
of  the  surrender.  Next  morning,  at  haU  past  ten  o'clock,  about  too 
sailors  and  50  marines  disembarked  The  sailors  marched  up  from  the 
shore  and  took  pojses^ion  of  the  fort;  the  American  colors  were  hoisted. 
The  United  States  fitctJ  a  salute  01  thirteen  guns,  it  was  returned  by  the 
fort  which  fired  twenty-six  guns. 

The  marines  in  the  meantime  had  marched  up  to  the  Government 
House.  The  otlirers  and  soldiers  of  the  California  governn»ent  were  dis- 
charged and  their  guns  and  other  arms  taken  possession  of,  and  carried  10 
the  fort.  The  stars  and  stripes  now  wave  over  us.  I-ong  may  they  wave 
here  in  California.^  "October  zrst.  4  p.  m.  Fla^s  were  again  changed, 
the  vessels  were  released  and  all  was  quiet  again.  The  Commodore  had 
received  later  news  by  some  Mexican  newspapers." 

The  author  of  this  extract  states  it  as  a  fact  of  which  he  was  cognizant, 
that  Governor  Alvarado  seriously  contemplated  running  away  and  leaving 
Monterey  to  its  fate.  It  is  not  fair  to  impute  thl«  to  the  Governor's  cow- 
ardice.    It   is    more  than  probable  that  it  arose  from  a  desire  to  avoid  the 


7a  ItTSTOUTCAL  SOCTETT  OF  SOVTUERJ^ CALIFOnXIA* 


respansibilitr  of  surrendering  the  city.  He  hod  already  been  superceded 
as  governor.  Hit  successor,  Micbehoxena,  had  been  nearly  iwj  tnoDt'>s  in 
Catifornin  and  was  daily  expected  at  the  Capital  to  take  charge  of  afTairs. 
There  was  no  good  feeling  between  the  twoi  and  Alvarado  would  w  doubt 
have  been  glad  to  hare  shouldered  the  odium  of  the  surrender  on  his  sac 

GoTemor  Michcltorena  after  a  «tay  in  Los  Angeles  of  several  veekt 
had  taken  up  his  line  of  march  for  the  Capiut  with  his  army  of  300 
cholos.  The  cholos  (half-breeds)  were  most  incorrigible  thieves,  and  had 
robbed  the  ben  roosts  at  Los  Angeles  of  tbeir  last  chici-cn.  Michcltorena 
bad  reached  a  point  attout  twenty  miles  north  of  San  Fernando,  when  on 
the  niiiht  of  the  24th  of  October,  a  messenger  armsed  him  from  his  slum- 
bers with  the  news  thai  the  Cajtiul  had  been  captured-  ftlichehorena 
•died  the  occasion  to  make  political  capital  for  himself  with  the  home 
government.  He  spent  the  remainder  of  the  ni)jht  in  fulminating  procla- 
mations fiercer  than  the  thunderbolts  of  Jove,  copies  of  which  were  dis- 
patched posthaste  to  Mexica  He  even  wished  himself  a  thunderbolt 
!*thai  he  might  fly  over  the  intervening  space  and  annihilate  the  invaders.** 
To  Vallejii  he  wrote,  "Triumph  is  certain;  with  my  present  force  I  should 
not  hesitate  to  attack;  but  it  is  just  that  all  share  in  the  pleasure  of  victory. 
Are  their  Mexican  bosoms  which  do  not  feel  themselves  b  -i)  with  valor  at 
seeing  this  effort  to  rob  us  of  our  lerritory.  Invite,  then  cscite,  move  the 
patriotism  of  all  able  to  bear  arms."  (Bancrofts  History  of  California,  Vov. 
IV.)  Then  with  his  own  courage  and  doubtless  that  of  his  brave  cholos 
•roused  to  the  highest  pitch  the  next  day  he  fled  back  to  San  Fernando, 
where  afraid  to  advance  or  retreat  he  halted  until  news  retched  him  that 
Comodorc  Jones  had  restored  the  Capital  to  the  Catifornians.  Then  his 
valor  reached  the  boiliDt  point.  He  boldly  marched  to  Los  Angeles, 
established  his  headquarters  in  the  dty  and  awaited  the  coming  ol  the 
Commodore  and  his  othcerii. 

At  the  famous  conference  in  the  Stearns  House,  Michcltorena  pre- 
•enied  his  "Articles  of  Convention"  to  the  Commodore.  Among  other 
ridiculous  demands  were  the  following:  "Article  VI.  Mr.  Thos.  Ap  C. 
Jones  will  deliver  1500  complete  infantry  uniforms  to  replace  those  of 
nearly  one-haif  of  the  Mexican  force  which  have  been  ruined  in  the  violent 
march  and  the  continued  lains  while  they  were  on  their  way  to  recover  the 
port  thus  invaded."  "Article  VH.  Jones  to  pay  $15,000  into  the 
national  treasury  for  expenses  incurred  from  the  general  alarm;  also  a  com- 
plete set  of  musical  instruments  in  place  of  those  ruined  on  this  occasion." 

Gov.  Slicheltorena  had  only  300  men  in  his  force  and  these  were 
Btostly  convicts  released  from  the  prisons  to  enlist  and  were  of  the  lowest 


THE  CAPTURE  OF  MONTEREY, 


n 


class  of  half-breedi,  it  was  not  probable  that  any  one  of  iheni   had  eTcr 
posHpssed  an  entire  suit  at  one  (ime  in  his  life. 

One  of  the  Ct^mmodore's  staff,  writing  of  this  interview  says:  "The 
requirement!  of  the  articles  were  so  preposterous  as  to  excite  for  the  mo- 
ment feelings  of  disgust  mingled  with  cxinmiseration,  and  to  make  it  a  mat- 
ter  of  serious  reflection,  and  consultation  between  the  Commodore  and  Cap* 
uin  Siribling  as  to  the  course  most  proper  to  pursue,  The  Commodore** 
first  impulse  was  to  return  the  papers  without  comment  and  to  refuse 
further  communication  with  a  man  who  could  hare  the  effrontery  to  trump 
up  such  charges  as  those  for  which  indemnification  was  claimed."  The 
Commodore  on  reflection  put  aside  his  personal  feelings,  met  the  Governor 
at  the  grand  ball  in  Sanchez  Hall  held  in  honor  of  the  occasion  The 
ball  was  a  brilliant  affair,  "the  dancing  ceased  only  with  the  rising  of  the 
iun  next  morning."  The  Commodore  returned  the  article*  without  his 
signalute.  The  Governor  did  not  ai^ain  refer  tn  hii  demands.  He  evi- 
dciitly  had  been  making  a  little  by-play  at  diplomacy  in  order  to  make 
himself  solid  with  the  home  government.  The  articles  had  been  officially 
published  in  Mexico  nearly  a  month  before  C  .mmodore  Jones  had  either 
teen  or  heard  of  them,  «s  part  of  the  correspondence  between  Commodore 
Jcnes  and  Governor  Micheltorena. 

Michelloreoa  had  the  audacity  to  claim  that  the  fear  of  hit  army  of 
choir's  and  their  valiant  general,  had  impelled  the  Commodore  to  restore 
the  Capital. 

General  Micheltorena  had  attained  some  military  reputation  in  Mexico 
and  probably  was  not  wanting  in  courage,  but  he  was  so  accustomed  to  the 
exaggerated  expressions  and  bombastic  proclamations  to  common  in 
Mexican  diplomacy  that  he  would  n^j  doubt  have  considered  that  he  wat 
nut  doing  bis  whole  duty  to  his  country,  had  he  uied  simpler  forms  of  ex- 
pression. 

On  January  ai,  1843,  Jones  and  his  officers  took  their  departure  from 
the  city  **amidst  the  beating  of  drums,  the  firing  of  cannon  and  the  ringing 
of  bells,  saluted  by  the  General  and  his  wife  fr^m  the  door  of  their  quarters." 
^^  A  military  escort  accompanied  the  Commodoro  and  his  staff  to  San  Pedro. 
^r  And  thus  was  sped  the  parting  guesL     Nearly  four   years   later   there   was 

■  another   military    procession  with  beating  of  drums  and  booming  of  cannon 

I  moving  through  the  streets  of  I,^s  Angeles;  it  was   Stockton's   army    taking 

I  6nal   possession   in   the  name  of  the  United  States  of  America  of  the  lut 

K Uexican  stronghold  in  California. 


REPORT  OF   THE  PUBLICATION  COHMITTEE. 

1896. 


To  tfie  ojjicert  and  mtvihert  of  the  Historical  Society  of  Southern  Oal- 

ifornia. 

During  the  yetr  your  committee  has  endeavored  to  provide  for  the 
difTerent  meetings  of  the  society  as  varied  a  program  as  possible.  With 
the  limited  number  of  writera  presenting  papers  it  has  not  always  been  pos- 
fible  to  present  as  diversified  or  as  attractive  a  program  as  your  committee 
would  have  desired. 

In  selecting  papers  for  pablication,  your  committee  has  endeavored  to 
choose  those  that  conuined  historical  matter  pertaining  to  different  phases 
of  Pacific  coast  history.  In  this,  as  well  as  In  all  previous  publications  of 
the  society,  tt  is  understood  the  authors  and  not  the  society  are  responsible 
for  the  statenaenu  made  in  their  papers  and  for  the  opinions  and  views  ex- 
pressed. 

Your  committee  would  respectfully  call  the  attention  of  members  read* 
ing  papers  before  the  society  to  that  section  of  oar  by-laws  which  requires 
every  member  reading  a  paper  to  file  a  copy  of  the  same  with  our  secretary. 
This  requirement  has  not  been  complied  with  in  several  cases  and  valuable 
papers  have  thus  been  lost  to  the  society. 

The  issue  for  1896  concludes  the  third  volume  of  the  society's  annual 
publications.  The  committee  would  recommend  that  hereafter  the  pubii- 
cations  be  paged  consecutively  beginning  with  neat  year's  issue  and  con- 
tinuing to  the  close  of  the  volume;  also  that  the  quality  of  the  paper  be 
changed  Irom  antique  to  6olb  laid  bui^k.  A  plainer  impression  can 
be  obtained  on  the  last  nuned  paper. 

The  following  are  the  lilies  of  papers  read  before  the  society  daring 
the  year  1896. 

JAM  VARY     MEETING. 
Inaugural  Address  of  the  President,  by  Frank  J.  Policy. 
What  can  be  seen  at  San  Jaun  Capistrano  to  day,  by  F-  J.  Policy. 

FEBRUARY  MEETING. 

A  Two  Thousand  Mile  Stage  Ride,  by  H.  D.  Barrows. 

To  California  via  Panama  in  the  early  '60s,  by  J.  M.  Guinn, 

APRIL  HEETINC. 

A  Southern  California  Alcibiades,  by  F.  J.  PoHey. 
Life  of  Michael  White,  by  H.  1>.  Barrows. 

MAY  MKET1KC. 
The  Sociology  of  tbt  Native  Califomian.  F.  J.  Policy. 
GapL  Jedediah  S.  Smith— ThePath6DcleTof the Sierns,  byJ.M.  Guinn. 


REPORT  OF  PUBLICATION  COMMITTER  75 

ADlonlo  Maria  Lugo — A  characteristic  CaliforniaD,  hy  H.  D.  Burowi. 

JUNE    MEKHNG. 

Renegade  Indians  of  San  Gabriel,  by  F.  J.  Poller. 
General  John  Mansfield,  by  H.  D.  Barrows. 
Pioneer  Life  in  California,  by  F.  D.  Shaw. 
Patriarchial  Age  of  the  Mission,  by  F.  D.  Shaw. 

OCTOHEH    MEBTINa 

The  Value  of  t  Historical  Society,  by  Mrs.  M  Burton  Williamson. 
Historic  Houses  of  Los  Angeles,  by  J.  M.  Guinn. 

HOVRMREB    MEBTING. 

A  Defense  of  the  Missionary  Establishments  of  Aha  California,  by 
Ker.  J.  Adam. 

Governor  Caspar  de  Portoli,  by  H,  D.  Barrows. 

UPXEHriER  UEirriKG. 

The  Foundering  of  the  Steamer  Central  Anwrica,  by  H.  D.  Barrows. 


CURATOR'S     REPORT. 
1896. 

LIBRAKY   AND   COLLECTTOHa   OP  THR  SOCIETY. 

Whole  number  of  bound  rolutnes 811 

Number  of  pamphlets  and  paper  covered  books 3675 

Number  of  daily  newspapers  recdvcd  and  filed  for  binding      5 

Number  of  weekly  newtpai>crs 15 

Number  of  monthly   magazines 5 

Number  of  quarterlies 6 

Respectfully  submitted, 

].  M.  GuiNN,  Curator. 


REPORT  OF  THE  SECRETARY. 

To  ihe  officer*  and  m<tii/j«r«  of  th«  Historical  SocUti/  of  Southern  CaK/&mta. 
Your  Secretary  reports  as  follows; 

Number  of  meetings  held 8 

Number  of   papers  read 18 

For  nearly  twelve  years  the  Society  has  held  its  meetings  in  the  City 
Court  room — Old  City  Hall,  west  Second  street.  The  city  sold  the  build- 
ing the  early  part  of  the  present  year.  The  last  meeting  of  the  Society 
held  there  was  in  April.    The  experiment  of  holding  meetings  at  private 


7*  HISTORIC JiL  SOCIETY  OF SOUTHERK  QALIFOnXt A, 


residences  was  begun  by  holding  the  February  rocctmg  at  Ihe  residence  of 
Mra.  Jeanne  C.  Carr,  Kensington  Place,  Pasadena.  The  attendance  *»• 
quite  large  and  considerable  interest  «as  manifested  in  histvrical  work. 
Tlic  May  meeting  was  also  held  at  the  residence  of  Mrs.  Can.  The  June 
meeting  was  held  at  the  residence  of  the  Secretary,  115  South  Grand 
Avenue,  'lliere  was  a  good  attendance  of  memb«r>  and  rititors.  The 
Society  adjourned  to  September.  At  the  lime  for  the  September  meeting 
the  Secretary  was  absent  in  Minnesota  and  no  meeting  was  Held.  The 
October  meeting  was  held  at  the  residence  of  Mrs.  .Margaret  Hughes,  St 
James  Fark.     There  was  a  good  attendance  of  interested  visitors. 

The  November  meeting  was  held  ai  the  parochial  residence  of  Bishop 
Montgomery,  118  East  Second  Street.  The  attendance  was  good  and 
considerable  interest  manifested  in  the  work  of  the  Society.  The  annual 
meeting  was  held  in  the  Occidental  College  Hall,  614  South  Hilt  street 
Thus  it  will  be  seen  that  the  Society  has  not  stood  still  so  Car  as  a  place  of 
meeung  is  concerned.  It  greatly  needs  a  permaneQt  place  of  meeitog. 
While  the  holding  of  its  meetings  in  different  localities  may  arouse  • 
trasisitory  interest,  it  is  very  evident  from  the  experience  of  the  present 
year  that  continued  changing  of  meeting  places  will  not  add  to  the  per- 

maaent  growth  of  the  Society. 

The  Society  has  made  S'  me  advancement  in  the  collection  of  histori- 
cal material.  In  addition  to  the  newspapers,  inaEazi-.es  and  quarterlies 
received  and  filed  for  bioding,  it  has  enlarged  its  list  of  exchanges  with 
other  historical  societies. 

Amone  Ihe  valuable  manuscript  collectiooi  recdved  this  year  is  the 
''Narrative  of  a  Califoraia  Volunteer."  This  Is  a  bound  manascxipt  volume 
of  158  pitfjes,  foolscap  size  in  the  form  of  a  diary.  It  was  written  by 
Walter  Murray,  late  Judge  of  the  Judicial  District  of  Santa  Barbara  and  Saa 
Luis  Obispo  Counties.     He  died  at  San  Luis  Obispo  in  1875. 

H;'  came  to  the  coast  as  a  member  of  Col.  Stevenson's  regiment  of 
New  York  Volunteers.  His  company  was  stationed  for  a  short  time  at 
Santa  Barbara  and  from  there  was  sent  to  Lower  California  where  it  saw 
considerable  h.ird  service,  and  took  part  in  several  engagements.  His 
diary  gives  a  very  full  account  of  the  voyage  of  the  Loo  Choo,  Ihe  vessel  on 
which  his  company  sailed  from  New  York  around  Cape  Horn  to  California; 
alfto  a  description  of  the  customs  of  the  Califi^rnia  people,  and  an  account 
of  the  company's  military  service  on  the  peninsula.  The  diary  was  ob> 
tained  for  the  Society  by  Prof.  I^  Ruy  D.  Brown  of  San  Luis  Obispo 
from  the  Judge's  daughter,  Miss  Frances  Murray;  to  both  of  whom  the 
Society  returns  its  sincere  thanks. 

Mr.  H  D.  Barrows  presented  to  the  society  a  manuscript  copy  of 
pi.  Warner's  reminisences  of  early  days  in  California.     In   the  present 


REPOUT  OF  THE  SECRETARr. 


77 


issue  are  printed  some  extracts  from  the  unpublished  papers  of  B.  D.  Wil- 
son, which  contain  original  historical  matter.  We  have  received  through 
Mr.  H.  D.  Barrows  an  enlarged  photograph  framed,  of  Dr.  Wm.  B. 
Osbum,  the  first  Postmaster  of  Los  Angeles,  and  the  first  Superintendent  of 
the  citjr  schools,  (appointed  in  June  1855.)  F.  \V.  Doooer,  Esq.,  donated  to 
the  Society  a  large  photograph  of  the  pioneer  locomotive  of  Southern  Cal- 
ifornia. It  was  named  "San  Gabriel"  and  was  landed  at  Wilmington, 
Deceraber,  1868,  and  nKd  on  the  Los  Angeles  and  San  Pedro  Railroad. 
Notwithstanding  the  financial  depression  that  has  borne  so  heaviljr  up  >n 
all  institutions  supported  bjr  voluntary  conlributions,  oui  Society  has  made 
commendable  progress  during  the  year,  and  has  promptly  met  all  its  finan- 
cial obligations.  The  value  of  our  Society  as  a  conservatory  of  local  his- 
torical and  statistical  information  is  becoming  recogniz«d  mure  and  more 
each  year.  This  is  evident  from  the  increased  number  of  letters  of  inquiry 
for  information  and  data  received  by  the  Secretary.  Such  inquiries  are 
cheerfully  answered,  although  to  give  satisfactory  answers  sometimes  re- 
quires a  considerable  expenditure  of  time  and  labor  on  the  part  of  the 
Secretarr.  The  denuiud  for  our  publications  from  Eastern  historical 
■ocietiu,  from  public  and  college  libraries  and  from  private  individuals  has 
exhausted  the  supply  of  our  earlier  publications.  We  can  not  supply  any  of 
our  previous  issues  101891. 

Respectfully  submitted, 

J,  M.  Gi;iNN,  Secretary. 


TREASURER'S  REPORT. 

&ECK1PTS. 

Balance  on  hand  received  from  last  Treasurer $  59  80 

Received  membership  fees „ S  00 

Received  membership  dues „ 97  30 — 165  10 

DISBURSEMENTS. 

Pud  fot  printing  Annual,  1895 „ „_.$  64  00 

"    *'        "      Letterheads 300 

"    "    postage  and  express  etc n  65 

"     rent  of  room  fot  annual  meeting i  00      79  61 

85  45 
Respectfully  submitted, 

£.  Bax I ^H,  Treasurer. 


Page 

lo, 

Hoe  16, 

II 

28, 

"      h 

(t 

3°! 

"      I, 

(I 

30.3 

I  "     - 

K 

36. 

"    34. 

II 

49i 

"    34. 

II 

59. 

"      5. 

II 

60. 

"      13, 

II 

61, 

••    18, 

II 

62, 

"      6. 

II 

63. 

"    24, 

U 

67. 

"    37. 

ERRATA. 

Hoe  16,  read  Coronel;  for  Carooet 

read:  who werefoundersof families. 

"  cuera  blanca. 

"  Ruiz  for  Ruis. 

"  conquista  for  coDquesta. 

"  rancheria  for  rancharia, 

"  those  who  are  qualified,  etc 

"  part  for  past 

"  fallacies  for  follaces. 

"  Sefiora  for  Sofiora. 

**  clung  for  cling. 

"  fays  for  taj. 


Orginiztd  November  1,  1883  Incorporated  February  13,  1891 


PUBLICATIONS 


OF  THE 


Historical  Society 


OF 


Southern  California 


VOLUME  IV. 

(ANNUAL  PUBLICATIONS  OF  1897-98-99.) 


Published  by  the  Society 


LOS  ANGELES,  CAL. 


CONTENTS. 


Officers  of  the  Society,  1897-98  _____        _ 

Inaugural  Addiew  o-'  President  J.  D.  Moody  _        _        _        _ 

A  Pioneer  of  the  Sacramento  Valley  (with   portrait)— H.  D.  Barrows 
Ear'y  Postal  Service  of  California— J.  M.  Guinn     -        -        -        - 

Dr.  Wm.  F.  Edgar  (with  portrait) — H.  D.  Banvws         _         _         _ 
Echoes  From  the  American  Revolution — J.  D.  Moody     -        -        - 
The  Old  Pueblo  A- chives— J.  M.  Guina       -        -        -        -        - 

Don    David  W.    Alexander — H.  D.  Barrows        -        _         _         - 
The  Cantilever  Bridge  of  the  Colorado^Mrs.  M.  Burton  Willianisoii 
Los  Angeles  in  the  Adobe  Age — ^J    M.  Guinn         -         -         -         — 
Two  Notable  Pioneers,  J.  J.  Ayers  and   George  Hansen  (with   por- 
traits)—H.    D.  Barrows  -  -         -         -        -        _ 

Isla  de  Los  Muertos — Mrs.  M.  Burton  Williamson         -        _         _ 
Foundering  of  the  Steamship  Central  America — H.  D.  Barrows 
Pioneer  School  Sujjerintcndents  of  Los  Angeles — ^J.  M,  Guinn 
Secretary's   Keport  -  -  ____-.» 

Report  of    the  Fublicalion  Committee        -        -        ^        _        . 
Curator's  Report  -  -----         —        _ 

Treasurer's  Report  -  -         ----__ 

^B  PIONEER  REGISTER. 

I  Officer!  of  the  "Pioneers  of  Los  Angeles  County"        _        _        _ 

I  Hiitoriesl   Sketch  of  the  Organization        _        _        _        _        _ 

I  ConititutioD         --  _-__-_-. 

I  By-Laws  --_-._-^__ 

I  Roll  of  Charter  Member*  -         -         ~        -        ^        -        - 

^  Members  Admttttd  Since  Closing  Charttr  Roll      -        -        -        - 


ni|c 


OFFICERS  OF  THE  SOCIETY. 


1897. 

OFFICERS: 
J.  D.  Moody        -___---__  Pieudent 

Mrs.  M.  Burton  Williamson  _        _        _         First  Vice-President 

E.  W.  Jones        ______        Second  Vice  President 

Edwin  Baxter  __-__-_  Treasurer 

J.  M.  GuiNN         ___--_        Secretirjr  and  Curator 

BOARD  OF   DIRECTORS. 

J.  D.  Moody  E.  W    Jones 

H.  D.  Barrows  Rev.  J.  Adah 

J.  M.  GuiNN  Edwin  Baxter 

Mrs.  M.  Bubton  Williamson 


1898. 

OFFICERS,   (ELECT.) 
J.  D.  Moody         ________         Preudent 

A.  E.  Yerxx  ______  First  Vice-President 

Mrs.  M.  Burton  Williamson        _        _        _       Second  Vice-President 
Edwin  Baxter        -____-_-     Treasurer 

J.  M.  GuiNN  ______      Secretarr  and  Curator 

BOARD   OF   DIRECTORS. 
J.  D.  Moody  A.  E.  Vbrbx 

H.  D.  Barrows  A.  C.  Vroman 

Edwin  Baxter  J.  M.  Guinn 

Mrs.  M.  Burton  Williamson. 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY 


OK 


SOUTHERN    CAIvIFORNIA.. 


LOS  ANGELKS.  1897. 


PRESIDENT'S   INAUGURAL  ADDRESS. 


BV   DR.    J.    D.    MOODT. 


[Delivered  Fetmiaiy  1,  1897.I 
Member*  of  thi  Hutorical  Soeuty  of  Soufhem  Cali/nrtiia: 

Bffon*  entering  npon  oiip  work  for  a  new  year,  Jet  ua  stop  for 
a  littlr  while  upon  the  tlireshold,  look  around,  and  see  where  wo 
Btond  among  the  educatiounl  factors  of  our  city.  An  hiatorical  eo- 
ciety  fchoDld  be  recognized  as  one  of  the  educatJoual  iDBtitutions  of 
the  community,  ond  sliould  be  appealed  to  as  such.  It  should  com- 
mand t>olb  the  respect  and  the  attention  of  all  intelligent  citizens. 
If  it  id  onr  aim  to  be  one  of  the  educational  forces  of  our  city,  let 
08  flp«t  try  to  get  a  proper  onderstanding  o(  the  possibilities  that 
lie  in  our  way,  if,  haply,  we  may  be  stirred  to  newer  life,  both  iu 
our  choi»rn  field,  and  also  oat  into  broader  lines.  Among  the 
many  societies  in  Lob  Angelea,  ours  is  the  only  one  which  in  any 
way  occupies  the  historical  field,  unless  possible  exception  could  be 
made  in  the  case  of  the  Society  for  Preserving  Old  Missions.  We 
must  occupy  the  field  fully,  or  we  will  surely  be  supplanted  by  other 
leaa  pretentious  associatiouB.  Ours  should  be  the  ceuter  out  from 
which  these  other  organizations  would  grow.  I  confess  to  a  little 
feeling  of  jealousy  that  the  incentive  to,  or,  at  least,  a  prominent 
part  in,  this  work  among  the  old  missions,  shonld  not  have  at- 
tached to  this  society. 

A  Folklore  Society,    an  Ethnological  Society,  and  kindred  as- 
ftoeiatioDs,  should  be  formed  in,  or  by  oar  society.    Instead  of  ho- 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA. 


ciptiPB,  we  miBbt  form  eectioDH  for  the  apeeial  study  of  these 
toficB,  in  order  to  make  them  aaxitiarjr  to  our  work.  It  ma>'  be  ob- 
jected tbnt  we  did  bare  sections  at  oae  time  with  uo  profitable  re- 
sult. Hut  I  protetit  that  geubigical  and  botauical  studies  do  not  prO[>- 
(ri'Ij-  foun*  under  an  UisloriL-nl  bead.  The  Scipnee  Association  is 
their  pnipcr  home.  But  all  studies  hartng  in  their  origin  a  human 
iiiten-Ht  iimiferl.v  belong  to  our  society.  We  should  bo  looked  up  to 
as  audiurifj-  worth  considering  in  all  questions  in  any  way  toncbing 
upon  historical  subjects  in  our  city  and  State, 

In  order  to  commaud  attention,  our  society  must  be  in  some 
way,  nion-  prominently  brought  before  the  public.  1  will  refer  to 
this  later.  Of  late  years  historical  studies  have  assumed  ao  ini> 
l*orlani;»r  nhiuh  they  uever  before  bad.  Before  (his  time,  written 
liistory  was  full  of  events;  now,  it  is  full  of  huuiau  interest;  then  it 
was  full  of  bloud  and  death:  now,  it  throbs  with  buiuan  life. 

This  is  lurgtly  the  result  of  the  work  along  new  lines,  upon 
which  these  sludieh  have  been  carried  out.  Prof.  Green's  "History 
■of  the  English  People"  la  a  notable  example  of  this  newer  method 
of  historical  f*tudy.  as  is  alsu  McMaster's  history  of  our  own  peo 
pie.  When  Prof.  tJreeii's  book  was  first  published  the  value  of 
this  method  n&s  al  once  recognized,  and  henceforth  the  acceptable 
history  will  be  the  one  dealing  with  jHHipIe  and  their  social  devel- 
opment, rather  than  with  jMjrsonal  ambition  and  national  wars. 
The  citixen,  rather  than  the  soldier,  will  be  the  object  of  study. 
More  attention  will  be  given  to  the  social  and  intellectual  condi- 
tions which  made  it  possible  for  a  Napoleon  or  a  Tweed  to  tw,  rather 
than  to  the  detailed  list  of  the  wars  of  the  one  or  the  stealings  of  the 
other.  It  would  even  be  pOHsiblt  to  write  a  great  history  of  our 
civil  war,  with  hardly  more  than  a  mention  of  battle  in  it. 

It  was  really  the  differences  in  the  social  eharacteristics  and 
the  resullattt  growth  from  these  in  the  English  Rcttlements  in  the 
Carolinas,  the  Hcotch  in  Georgia,  and  the  mountain  region;  the 
French  in  Tjouisiana,  the  Purttaui)  and  the  Germans  in  the  North. 
that  brought  about  the  conflict  and  shaped  its  course.  These  racial 
diffeifnces,  developing  different  social  conditions  and  mental  cliar- 
actersticB,  and,  becoming  more  firmly  stamped  in  character  as  the 
years  went  by;  these,  along  with  the  modifying  influences  each 
had  on  the  other,  are  factors  of  prime  Importance,  and  intenselj 
human  in  their  interest  and  which  must  not  for  a  moment  be  lost 
sight  of  in  any  conception  of  the  development  and  duration  of  the 
Btrnggle. 


P/lES/DEJVrS  WAUGURAL  ADDRESS. 

6nr  hiKtorlral  literatur«  of  receot  date  ebows  a  tendency  to 
baw  IiiHtory  npon  the  life  of  a  people,  rather  than  upon  their  wars. 
Bnt  to  write  such  a  historj  it  U  Dt-ceKBary  to  have  the  tuinutiae  of 
the  daily  life,  social  and  iateilectual,  of  a  people.  In  the  historical 
classes  of  Johns  Hopkins  UuirersHy  the  students  are  set  at  JasC 
such  uork.  In  further  pursuacce  of  thesis  stndies,  old  town 
records,  church  registers,  colonial  archives,  and  similar  sources,  are 
searched.  Many  of  their  BtudeuU  embody  the  results  of  such  in- 
Tes'ipations  in  monographs,  and  histories  of  cities,  towns,  counties, 
families  and  institotions.  These,  in  their  turn,  furnish  the  future 
bistoriatt  with  material  for  his  work.  1  speak  of  those  methods  of 
treating  historical  studies  because  of  the  bearing  it  has  upon  onr 
work,    it  is  just  the  kind  of  work  we  should  do. 

The  active  period,  embracing  the  time  of  transferal  from  Mexi- 
can to  Aiuerirau  authority,  the  brilliant  achievements  of  tSen. 
Fremout  and  other  early  esplorere,  all  have  a  very  great  interest 
for  ue.  Yet.  of  far  greater  value  would  it  be,  did  our  retords  show 
a  complete  account  of  the  communal  life  of  our  State  from  the 
earliest  period;  their  social  customs,  their  political  fabric,  their  in- 
diiotrial  habits,  and  their  intellectual  growth.  It  should  be  tiie 
aim  of  our  society  to  do  this  work,  and  to  do  it  In  some  systematic 
manner.  For  the  future  historian  of  California  these  facts  would 
be  of  incomparable  value.  Much  has  been  done  in  this  line,  but 
much  nmre  needs  to  be  doue.  Much  of  just  such  information  is 
scattered  through  the  books  and  papers  of  the  olden  time,  is  easily 
overlooked,  and  liable  to  be  lost.  This  should  he  secured  before  it 
Is  too  lati . 

An  almost  perfect  specimen  of  one  kind  of  work  we  need  to 
do  was  given  us  in  a  paper,  "Christmaa  Week  at  Ban  Juan  Capis- 
trano,''  (I  believe  this  was  the  title,)  by  our  former  president  I'rof. 
Polley.  Prof.  Ouinn  has  given  us  others  in  his  articles  in  the  Los 
Angeles  Times.  Buch  articles  have  a  permanent  value.  We  can- 
not have  too  many  of  them.  My  brief  acquaintance  in  the  city 
leads  me  to  think  that  we  must  have  others  who  are  able,  could 
they  only  be  persuaded,  to  write  such  papers.  It  is  our  province  as 
a  society  to  collect  the  materials  for,  not  to  write,  a  history. 

New  Mexico,  Arizona  and  Southern  California  occupy  a  unique 
place  in  our  national  life.  This  place  is  founded  upon  an  older  posi- 
tion, geographical  and  social,  which  is  cdlke  unique  in  our  historical 
reoords.  These  States  are  linked  together  by  this  chain  of  btBtorical 
events,  thai  makes  it  impossible  to  treat  of  only  a  part  without 


flfa 


B 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA. 


doing  violence  to  the  whole.  Are  there  associations  kindred  to  ours, 
in  thew  Territoriea?  If  so,  we  should  cultivate  relations  with 
thetn  that  wonld  be  to  onr  matnal  benefit;  if  not,  I  believe  we  ooght 
to  nid  in  developind  snch.  In  the  mean  time,  we  flhotild  hold  some 
kind  of  oflicial  relations  with  iudividuals  in  thesL*  States,  thus  mak- 
ing them  tributar}'  to  our  societjr.  &nd  so  an  aid  to  its  usefulnesa.] 
This  Territory  does  not  occupy  the  piftre  in  our  school  hi»tnri»^i 
which  its  [tast  history  and  its  importance  demauds.  lu  our  ^tate 
•chool  hifilorr,  California  is  pven  only  twenty-five  pages,  and  to 
tli«  story  of  these  other  States,  hardly  a  word.  I  believe  this  local 
history  »hould  occupy  a  much  larger  place  in  our  school  study,  than 
is  now  fiivou  to  it. 

Tlicre  18  a  vast  conutry  lying  at  our  door,  which  is  just  emerg- 
ing from  a  semi-barbaric  state,  but  with  such  strides  that  Rhe  will 
BOOH  be  ODc  of  the  great  ctrilized  countries  of  the  world.  We  are 
destined  lo  come  into  much  closer  relationship  with  her.  Xew 
Mexico,  AriKoua  lUid  Southern  California,  more  than  any  other 
portioti  of  the  territory  acquired  from  Mexico,  retains  much  of  the 
quaint  history  which  attaches  to  the  mother  country,  and  alongj 
wih  it,  and  inherited  from  her,  much  of  the  old  custom  and  family 
traits  not  to  be  found  in  any  other  portion  of  our  country.  This 
lends  a  t»eculiar  interest  to  this  region,  which  does  not  pertain  to 
any  other  portion  of  our  land.  The  laws  and  customs  of  the 
early  Bpanish  emigrants  have  left  a  lasting  impression  on  these 
States.  Since  the  completion  of  the  Santa  F^  Itailroad,  making  a 
direct  coiuatuuication  with  the  East,  a  great  rush  of  immigration  to 
this  southern  country  has  taken  a  place.  These  new-comers  are 
largely  of  the  cultured  class.  They  briup  with  them  the  rush  and 
whirl  uf  the  East.  The  iuQux  being  so  great  and  so  sudden  we  are  in 
danger  of  making  the  same  mistake  made  by  the  early  colonists  of 
the  Middle  West,  when  they  transplanted  bodily  the  customs  and 
ideas  of  their  eastern  homes,  to  the  extent  that  the  importauce  Ipt 
the  eurly  and  contemporaneous  history  was  not  folly  recognized, 
much  of  it  was  lust  and  undue  prominence  given  to  the  estabUshed 
history  and  customs  of  their  old  homes.  These  facts  are  being 
recognized  by  many  of  our  later  liistoriaiis.  In  the  December 
meeting  uf  the  Americiui  Historical  Associatioa,  Prof.  Turner  of 
Wisconsin  read  a  paper,  on  "The  West  as  a  Field  for  Historical 
Study."  lu  this  paper,  quoting  from  the  Associated  Press  reports, 
he  Bays,  "lliat  too  much  stress  has  been  laid  on  the  work  of  the 
.colonists  of  the  East,  while  the  settlement,  progress  and  develop- 


PRESIDEins  INAUGURAL  ADDRESS. 


uient  of  the  States  of  the  West  have  been  entJrnl.v  overlooked.  The 
oxpousiou  of  the  country  into  the  unsettled  tracts  of  the  Weat  has 
furnished  Boiue  of  the  most  fandamentai  characteriHtion."  Sobsi- 
tute  the  words  "Great  Sonthweat"  for  the  worda  "States  of  the 
Weet,"  in  the  above  quotation,  and  the  paBBa^e  will  he  as  applicable 
to  UB  an  to  the  EuBtem  States.  We  are  building  on  different  founda- 
tions than  thej,  and  are  developing  character! sticH  as  peculiar  in 
their  wuy,  as  those  of  the  dwellers  on  the  Atlantic  slope.  It  is 
of  prime  importance  that  these  cbaructeristics  be  recorded  while  in 
process  of  development.  It  is  my  conviction  that  the  work  of  our 
80ciel,v  should  proceed  alonp  two  lines;  First  and  foremost,  the 
gathering  of  such  information  us  suggested,  in  our  Southweat,  and 
aecondly,  broadening  out  into  a  fuller  discussion  of  general  history. 
Hy  doing  so  we  would  enlist  the  sympathy  and  cooperation  of  all 
clafisee.    I  believe  good  would  come  of  it. 

May  !  not  farther  outline  my  idea  of  our  future  work?  First, 
can  we  not  devise  some  i)Ian  by  which,  with  united  effort,  we  ran 
enlist  more  of  our  intelHpout  and  educated  citizens  in  the  work  of 
the  society.  This  would  make  oar  meetings  more  tnterestnig,  and 
more  profitable,  posoihly.  by  arouRing  an  intnreat  in  Rome  one  who, 
emulating  the  jtrincely  gift  of  Mr  Grifflth.  nmy  provide  ub  with  a 
permanent  home  for  our  meetings,  and  for  our  collection. 

1  really  believe,  however,  that  an  historical  aociety  should  bear 
a  sort  of  Beiiiiqfflcial  relation  to  the  State,  or  to  the  commercial 
cent'!!'  of  that  region  where  it  is  located,  and  by  the  State  or  such 
city,  be  jtrovided  with  every  facility  for  gathering  and  preserving 
the  re<!ordB  of  their  locality. 

A  few  public  lectnree  during  the  year,  by  some  citiBen,  or  some 
visitor  to  our  cify,  on  some  special  or  genera!  historical  subject  that 
would  be  of  popular  interest,  would  keep  «iir  society  before  the 
public.  The  old  adage,  "Out  of  sight,  out  of  mind,''  has  a  good  deal 
of  wisdom  In  it. 

If  ever  we  ahould  make  a  apeeial  effort  to  get  out  an  andience, 
the  papers  of  theei'«ning^onld  be  popular  in  their  nature,  and  full 
of  hitman  interest. 

The  y.M.C.A.  had  a  eonrae  of  lecturos,  this  past  year,  given 
by  Buch  men  as  our  Post'mnBter,  the  Chief  of  Police,  the  electrician 
to  the  railroad  company,  etc.  Two  or  three  lectures  on  the  history, 
ethnology  or  folklore  of  Southern  California,  might  be  just  the 
mcBOB  to  awaken  an  interest  in  our  history,  In  the  minds  of  some 
of  our  young  men. 


10 


HlSTORtCAC  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  CAUFORNtA. 


Tiw  nrtlrli'H  whirb  our  Mxretar;  baH  publisbed  from  time  to 
tliDf  in  Ibc  rl(y  papew,  haTp  bpcn  exepedingl.v  interestiDg,  and 
Ljiv  |HTinitti(ii1  viiliii-  for  tiiHtorical  slud.v.  I  don't  know  whether 
Prof.  UuIdq  biM  been  filing  these  articles  with  the  papers  of  the 
■nr'<>t,v  or  tint,  Ititt  1  believe  tbej  should  be,  and  I  will  talce  the 
liberty  nf  a«kinR  him  to  do  it.  I  don't  want  to  take  anything  from 
Prof.  Oalnn'n  honor,  bnt  rather  want  to  share  that  honor,  Jostly  be- 
longing to  one  of  our  chief  memberH,  and  would  like  if  he  coold 
liign  all  iiMeh  as  a  member  or  neei-etary  of  the  nistorical  Society. 

TIhti'  Nliould  be,  it  iieems  to  me.  a  closer  relation  between  oor 
Ih'bonlH  and  Ihr  sorlety — between  the  public  library  and  theaocifety. 
Have  we  un  hlKtorical  scrap  book?  More  than  one  member  should 
be  milking  snch  a  book  by  cnlling  from  (he  papers  of  the  day. 

I  believi-  we  tihould  make  a  special  effort  to  collect  the  folk-lore 
of  the  Indians,  the  Spanish  and  the  Mexicans  of  this  region.  This 
■ubjm't  U  today  one  of  the  most  helpful  auxiliaries  to  the  student 
of  hUlory. 

All  hlHtoricnl  day  at  our  Long  Reach  Chautauqua  might  be 
Utade  prtifltable  to  ourselves  and  to  the  audience. 

Have  the  lilHtnries  of  the  Pasadena.  Ontario,  Pomona,  and 
other  colonies  in  ti^outbern  California  been  written,  and,  if  so,  have 
we  copies  of  them?    We  should  have. 

We  hUo  should  have  a  catalogue  of  every  manuscript  or  other 
diK'umfiits  In  any  way  relating  to  Southern  California,  now  in 
««sl»trnce  !n  our  locolity.  A  systematic  effort  should  be  made  to 
obtain  ttu'so  t>tti>i'r».  and  where  not  poeaible  to  do  tbat,  to  get  a 
•>tn^*i»  of  their  coulenlB.  1  un  aware  thai  thia  has  been  done 
by  otttstdi*  parties  to  MM*  voteut,  bat  we  want  it  for  ooraelree  for 
future  \i»i\ 

1  Iwliere  we  onght  to  appoint  or  fvocare  sol&e  oae  or  nKwe  per 
•OM,  who  mould  make  a  list  of  all  old  time  residento  of  this  and 
•ttwr  hK«llli«i  Ml  «(  tW  pkwrera  of  fbe  new  order  of  tUnss.  ud 
b,v  poTMiMl  iBterrtewa.  baaed  npoa  a  prearraaced  plaa.  swke  ex- 
baaatiw  ctUtuvtit^ns  of  early  traditiOMi,  aa4  accoaaia  ol  rrenis  and 
»4H4al  vu»toiu»  ^^t  tbiMie  ««rly  <toy»  Tbie  woald  take  itee.  It  ongbtj 
U>  lake  liKke;  bot  it  woaM  wrtl  repay  tbv  troabie. 

Tbe  Utve**  of  our  secretary  prereatiJ  ««r  aakinc  aa 
at  tbe  HMMe  IV-dacta  KxUbitiwu    Bat  cwU  wv 
Mar  tutar^N  eitber  bf  >a«a<h<et  ar  la 
te^>  a  bMa  exUbMaa  «f 
Hv^  ete.?  ^Kb  esbibiliM*  baw  bwa  sadp  anflBBR  \ 


PRESIDENTS  INAUGURAL  AM 


ti 


The.v  hiiYC  an  edDi-ational  value  tliat  we  might  wi-I!  taVe  advantage  of. 

Possibly  tbe  Chamber  of  Commercp  would  aid  n«  \*y  loaning  a 
room  for  Hucb  a  fiirpoHe  at  some  fitting  lime.  The  t^'humlKT  of  Com- 
merce in  uiHntinulating  the  begiuitiugB  of  an  hiHtnricul  exhibit  rbat 
majr  develop  Into  a  permanent  iDHlitntion.  Cannot  we  make  ad* 
vaneee  to  them  which  will  be  mutually  profitable? 

California  literature  ih  fairly  well-represented  in  our  public 
library,  bnt  could  we  not  help  to  make  U  more  valuable  by  well- 
conBidcii-d  aRsIatnnce? 

If  iLrrangementH  could  be  made  h^  which  the  library  would  give 
temporary  Bhelving  for  our  books  and  papers,  as  a  sepjirate  collec- 
tion, for  the  nee  of  the  public,  and  under  the  direction  of  the  library 
board,  it  wonld  put  to  good  ntu^  viiliiable  matter  now  uniittmnable. 

Through  the  ravages  of  time,  old  hooka  of  travel  nnd  hietory  are 
being  rapidly  destroyed.  I  would  like  to  see  a  collection  of  such 
books  begun  by  this  soriety,  possibly  in  connection  with  the  public 
library.  The  constant  scanning  of  second-hand  book  catalogues 
would  gradually  give  us  a  good  collection. 

Would  it  not  be  feasible  to  plan  for  a  list  of  both  active  and  qr- 
80ciat«  members,  the  active  to  have  voice  in  the  direction  of  affairs, 
and  the  aBsociute  members  to  not  have  such  voice,  pay  no  dues,  but 
to  have  ao  afitUatiou  with  us,  for  sake  of  inBuence  and  increaaing 
Interest  on  the  part  of  the  public.  Had  we  bnt  a  good  place  of  meet- 
ing it  would  be  easier  to  carry  out  these  suggestions.  But  uot  bar- 
ing  this  place  of  meeting,  can  we  not  make  use  of  these  suggestions 
or  others  which  may  be  offeivd  to  hasten  this  desirable  end? 

I  do  not  expi!nt  hasty  acceptnnee  of,  or  action  upon  any  of  these 
plans.  Indeed,  it  wonld  not  be  best  to  do  so  now.  They  are  rather 
thrown  not  to  stimulate  as  In  this  direction  and  with  the  hope  that 
some  good  may  grow  out  of  them. 

I  am  not  unmindful  of  the  efforts  which  have  been  mnde  in  this 
direction,  biii:  cannot  we  make  another  effoi-t  this  year  to  place  our 
society  among  the  recognized  educational  factors  of  our  city? 


A   PIONEER   OF   SACRAMENTO   VALLEY. 


BV   B.   O.    BARROWS. 


[Rcftd  Marcb,  189s-] 

John  Reid  Wolfskill,  Uie  early  (if  not  the  arat)  American  pioneer" 
of  the  Sarramento  Valley,  waa  boni  uear  Uichmond,  Ky.,  Septem- 
ber l(i,  1^(M^.  He  woa  the  eon  of  Joseph  and  Sarah  Reid  WolfskiU. 
nis  grandfather,  .loseph  Wolfskill,  waa  a  native  of  Germany,  who 
settled  in  l^hiladelphia,  afterwards  be  lived  in  North  Carolina 
awhile,  and  from  ihere  he  moved  to  Kentucky.  Hia  grandfather 
on  his  mother's  Bide,  John  Rvid,  after  whom  Mr.  W.  waa  named, 
was  a  native  uf  Ireland.  He  waa  taken  prisoner  by  the  British  at 
CharleHton,  South  Carolina,  in  the  rerolotionary  war.  He  after 
wardii  settled  in  Kentucky.  Mr.  Wolfskill  remembers  well  both  his 
grandfathers.  The  family  of  Mr.  Wolfskill  moved  from  Kentucky  to 
MtsBouri  in  1809.  and  settled  at  Boone's  Lick,  now  in  Howard  county. 

There  were  many  Indians  in  that  section  at  tiiat  time  whom  the 
English  htJrred  up  to  hotftilities  against  the  settlers  in  the  war  of  1812. 

In  182S  Mr.  W.  set  out  for  8anta  F6.  New  Mexico,  where  bis 
brother  William  bad  gone  acme  time  before.  From  there  be  went 
to  Paris,  Durango,  and  from  thence  to  Chihuahua.  From  there  he 
irent,  with  others,  as  guard  for  the  transport  of  treasure  to  Mata- 
moras.  He  made  eleven  trips  between  these  two  latter  places  dur- 
ing the  next  four  years.  Then  he  went  to  the  city  of  Durango.  and 
on  his  return  to  Matamoras  he  took  passage  on  a  vessel  for  New 
Orleans,  and  thence  np  the  Mississippi  River  to  bis  home  in  Mis- 
Bonri,  where  he  remained  two  or  three  years. 

In  18.16  he  returned  to  New  Merioo,  and  from  there  he  went  to 
Oposiura,  Sonora,  to  buy  mules  to  take  to  Santa  F4.  But  the  Indiana 
stole  all  his  mules,  which  he  had  intended  tu  take  to  Missouri  and 
sell,  and  then,  with  the  proceeds,  start  for  Ia>s  Angeles,  California, 
whither  his  brother  William  had  gone  some  yeara  before,  but  from 
whom  he  had  only  heard  at  long  intervals,  aa  letters  from  California 
at  that  period   had  to  come  on  sailing  vessels  by  way  of  Cape  Horn. 

Being  left  almost  naked,  with  not  a  second  shirt  to  his  back,  by 
the  loss  of  his  stock  and  all  he  possessed,  he  nevertheless  detaf- 
mined  to  set  out  from  Santa  F6  for  California. 


A  PIONBEn  OF  SACRAMENTO  TaZZSyT 


13 


A  trader  of  Santa  T4  by  ttin  name  of  Thompaon  famished  him 
with  on  ontflt  amoiintJng  to  $fiOO  or  ffiftO  to  come  to  California  with 
a  party  of  twenty-five  or  thirty  New  Mexicans,  together  with  aa 
Italian  and  two  Canadians.  Afterward  Mr.  W.,  aa  be  was  able, 
gradually  paid  ThompKun  for  his  outfit  with  interest,  or  over  fSf^l^O 
in  all. 

The  company  left  Santa  F(^  October  17, 18S7,and  arrived  in  Loe 
Angeles  in  the  month  of  February,  1838.  They  came  up  the  Del 
Norte  River  to  the  Great  Bend,  where  they  crossed  the  divide  be- 
tween the  Del  Xorte  and  Arkansas  rivers.  The  snow  here  in  some 
places  waa  four  feet  deep.  From  here  they  made  their  way  to  the 
waters  of  the  Grand  BJver,  which  la  one  of  the  tributaries  of  the 
Colorado  of  the  West  and  then  atnick  across  to  Green  River  and 
thence  to  the  southern  portion  of  Rait  Lake  Valley.  It  was  then 
in  midwinter,  and  Mr.  Wolfakill  says  they  had  some  of  the  coldest 
weather  he  ever  experienced.  They  came  Into  Boutheru  California 
through  the  Cajon  Pass. 

Mr.  Wolfskin  reached  Us  Angeles  February  14,  1838.  As  he 
rode  into  the  town  on  a  mule  he  saw  an  American  standing  in  the 
front  door  of  bin  etorc.  on  ihc  west  side  of  Main  street,  between  where 
the  Downey  Block  and  the  Pt.  Elmo  Hotel  now  stand,  who,  he  later 
learned,  was  J.  J.  Warner,  and  he  inquired  of  him  If  he  could  tell 
him  where  "Billy  Wo!fskiH"  could  be  found.  This  infocmatiou  was 
readily  given,  aithongh  his  brorher  was  temporarily  absent  in  the 
mountains  getting  out  staves  for  vats  to  bold  his  wine.  ThU 
brother  "Billy"  had  lived  here  several  years  and  waa  well  known, 
and  when  it  became  known  that  a  brother  of  his  had  arrived  from 
the  far  away  I'nited  Btates,  the  newcomer  waa  as  warmly  welcomed 
by  Samuel  Prentice  nud  the  other  Americans  resident  here,  as  if  he 
had  come  from  another  world.  Although  none  of  them  had  ever 
eeen  «Talin  before,  they  were  delighted  to  see  him  because  he  was  the 
brother  of  their  friend,  William  Wolfskill  And  this  feeling  waa 
shared,  only  in  a  less  degree,  by  the  latter's  native  Cnliforuian 
friends.  Don  Antonio  Maria  Lugo  volunteered  to  go  out  to  the 
monulains  on  horseback  to  Inform  William  of  his  brother's  arrival. 

William  soon  came  in,  and,  aithongh  he  was  not  informed  which 
of  his  brothers  had  arrived,  he  did  not  even  know  which  one  it  waa 
when  he  saw  him.  For  John's  sickness  in  Durango  had  changed 
his  looks  greatly,  and,  besides,  his  long  journey  and  its  hardstups 
and  privations,  made  it  impossible  for  his  brother  to  recognise  btm, 


14 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  CALIFORHIA. 


thongb  John  ^wy*  be  knew  William  ait  hood  an  he  aaw  him,  albeit 
he  had  not  seen  William  for  nian.v  .vear». 

John  fitnj^cd  lieiv  with  William,  who  had  a  vineyard,  and  worked 
in  it  nearly  four  years. 

John  sa,VH  lie  made  a  trip  up  country  to  look  for  land  in  1841). 
Land  in  this  soiilbern  portion  of  the  Territory  had  at  that  time 
been  pretty  generally  taken  up,  and  aa  be  had  no  meaoB  witli  whith 
to  buy  land  of  private  parties,  his  only  chance  to  get  any  was  to  ob- 
tain a  grant  of  public  land  in  the  north.  On  this  trip  be  went  to 
Ronoroa  to  see  Gen.  Vallejo,  military  commandante  of  the  district 
north  of  Ban  Francisco  Bay  and  west  of  the  Saeramento  Biver, 
whose  recommendation  was  required  before  the  Governor  wonld  gign 
a  gfant  of  lands  in  that  region.  The  general  told  Mr.  W.  he  could 
look  over  the  country  as  much  as  be  liked,  but  he  declined  to  recom- 
mend a  concession,  bis  reason  evidently  being  that  Mr.  W.  was  not 
a  Mexican  citizen. 

Mr.  Wolfskin  went  north  again  in  1841,  as  also  did  his  brother 
William,  for  both  were  very  anxious  to  obtain  land  on  which  they 
could  engage  in  stock-raising,  and  on  which  John  especially  could 
mnke  himself  a  home.  On  this  trip  John  did  not  himself  go  to  see 
Vallejo,  but  sent  au  Englishman,  Mark  West,  then  living  at  Sonoma, 
to  intercede  for  him.  But  Vuliejo  made  the  same  reply  to  West 
that  he  had  made  to  Mr.  W.  the  year  before,  namely,  that  he  could 
look  over  the  muntry  all  he  liked,  but  that  he  should  not  approve 
a  grant  to  him.  Finding  it  impossible  to  move  Vallejo  to  favorable 
action.  Mr.  Wolfskill  made  up  Lis  mind  to  abandon  further  attempts 
to  obtain  land  there  or  anyw*here  in  California  and  to  return  ^onth 
and  leave  the  Territory,  As  he  was  about  starting,  Mr.  Jacob  P.  Leese, 
\*alleio'8  brother  in  hiw,  bailed  him  and  inquired  if  it  was  still  his 
wish  to  get  land;  and  as  he  told  him  that  it  was,  but  that  it  seemed 
to  be  impossible  for  him  to  obtain  any,  Leese  advifted  him  not  to 
leave  till  be  saw  lum.  Leese,  again,  and  he  would  see  what  be  could 
do.  Leese  finally  succeeded  in  overcoming  Vallejo's  objections  and 
obtained  his  approval  of  a  grant  of  four  square  leagues,  or  about 
17.1K)0  acres,  of  public  land  on  both  aides  of  i*uta  Creek,  in  what 
are  now  Tolo  and  Bolauo  counlies,  with  the  understanding  that  the 
concession  should  he  niude  in  the  name  of  Mr.  W.'s  brother  William, 
as  grautee.  as  the  latter  bad  become  a  naturalized  Mexican  citizen 
at  Santa  ¥6,  New  Mexico,  in  1830.  Under  Mexican  law  a  grant  to 
a  foreigner  would  be  illegal.    The  ofileial  papers  coutaining  the 


A  PIONEER  OF  SACRAMENTO  VALLEY. 


>5 


comandante'a  npiimral,  wpre  dHivered  by  IjM'so  to  WolfBltlll  ond 
he  retnrotMl  to  Los  Ahi:p1pr. 

Ab  his  friend.  Mr.  J.  J.  Warner,  had  baaineas  at  Monterey  the 
following  spring.  Mr.  Wolfakill  nent  the  papera  by  him.  to  have 
Oct.  Alvarado  iasne  the  grant. 

But  it  seems  certain  formalitiea  were  wanting  in  Vallejo'a 
(eeommendfttion,  and  the  Goremor  reftiaed  to  consider  the  applica- 
tion till  these  technleal  defects  were  remedied.  So.  Mr.  Warner  aent 
ih"  documents  by  Connnl  T^rkin  to  Mr.  Leeae  at  Bonoma,  who  bad 
the  matter  attended  to,  and  Mr.  Larkin  brought  the  perfected  papera 
Sack  to  Monterey,  and  kept  them  till  John  went  up  iu  1842.  Be 
took  his  brother  Williaiu'a  naturalization  papera  with  him,  and  on 
h*"*  arr'val  at  Monterey  he  aeenred  the  aervicea  of  a  competent  Inter- 
preter, a  Mr.  Allen,  ii  Hrhool  tearher  there,  and  appeared  before  the 
GoTeroor,  who  then,  without  further  objection,  slKned  the  grajit. 

Having  taken  along  with  him  on  this  trip  aome  atock  (24  marea, 
'10  taiue  horsea  and  thret-  yoke  of  oxen  and  several  milk  cows.)  he, 
started  at  once,  on  the  concloaion  of  hia  business  with  the  Governor, 
with  bis  animals,  for  bis  new  rancho,  but  found  that  the  San  Joaquu 
Biver  had  Qooded  a  wide  extent  of  territory,  and  so  he  went  Iff  ^an 
Jost5  and  up  the  west  side  of  Han  Francisco  Buy  to  where  the  city  of 
San  rranciaco  now  is,  and  left  hia  stock  near  the  Mission  Dolores 
in  charge  of  bin  Mexican  boy  as  herder,  whilst  be  went  on  to  Mr. 
Vouut^s,  who  waa  building  a  mill  on  Napa  Creek,  and  worked  far  him 
till  Octube.-.  lie  then  went  back  after  his  animals  and  took  them 
to  liii*  ranch,  by  way  of  8ai]  Jos^,  T.ivermore.  the  Ban  JoiLquiu, 
irosaing  at  a  place  called  "El  Prscadero,"  swimming  hia  ani- 
mals there  and  also  across  the  Sacramento  Biver  at  Sutter'a  Fort, 
now  Sacramento  city.  Arriving  at  his  ranch,  he  lived  there  two 
;eari'  without  a  bnilding  of  any  land,  devoting  himself  exclusively 
to  the  care  of  bis  stock. 

Meantime  his  brother  William  had  arranged  for  William  D.  M. 
Howiird  of  San  Francisco  to  buy  cattle  for  him  around  the  hay; 
these  he  bud  taken  to  the  rancho  to  stock  it  in  about  the  year  1S46. 
John  lived  on  the  rancho  whilst  Wtlliam's  home  M-aa  in  Ix)b  Angeiee, 
the  Idller  visiting  the  rancho  at  intervals. 

Manuel  Vaca,  the  ancestor  of  the  familiee  of  tliat  name  in  So- 
lano county,  and  after  whom  the  present  town  of  Vacaville  waa 
named,  had  settled,  about  the  year  184^1,  where  the  town  is  located, 
and  t'raduully  his  stock,  aa  it  increased,  ranged  ovim  the  Wolfakill 


1« 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA. 


frrant.  and.  ba  the  water  dried  up  od  bio  place,  be  applied  to  Qen. 
Vallejo  to  order  WolfHkill  off  his  owu  rancli:  and  eis  the  militar; 
comnuuidaiits  in  thone  times  were  often  petty  despots,  Wolfskill  waa 
Bi'tuallj  obliged  to  move  bis  stock  over  to  Gordon's  on  Cache  Creek, 
where  he  staid  aboot  two  years,  Vaca  having  broaght  an  order  from 
^"allejo,  through  Alcalde  I^eeie,  to  that  effcpt.  Mr.  W.  went  orer 
to  Ronoma  to  protent  against  this  order.  But  the  Alcalde  told  him 
]f  be  had  any  crops  growing,  he  need  not  move  till  he  had  gatliered 
them;  otherwise,  the  order  would  have  to  be  enforced.  It  seema 
ihaf  argoment  or  protest,  on  the  ground  of  iujostice,  was  of  no  avul, 
\'aIli-jo  having  practically  supreme  authority  in  all  that  jurisdiction 
north  of  San  Francisco  Bay,  perpetrated  arbitrary  and  sometimes 
tyraunieal  acts,  because  be  had  the  power  to  do  aa  be  pleased.  Mr. 
Wolfskill  says  that  people  at  that  time  were  required  to  show  bim. 
Vellejo,  the  utmost  deference;  that  if,  in  passing  his  bonse,  they  did 
not  take  off  their  bats,  be  would  have  them  thrust  into  the  calabooee. 

Thcjtrong  contrast  between  the  character  of  Gen.  Vallejo  ofthe 
Mexican  regime  and  the  character  uf  tlie  same  man  alter  the  change 
of  government,  is  apparently  accounted  for  by  the  reply  of  Mr.  Wolf- 
okill,  who,  when  aukcd  iu  after  yearn,  if  Gen.  Vallejo  was  not  a  good 
mau,  said:  "Ves,  be  was,  when  the  Hear  Flag  hoys  made  bim  a  good 
man!"  He  says  his  arrest  by  them  seemed  to  effect  a  radical  change 
in  his  deportment  toward  others,  and  especially  lu  bis  attiude  to- 
wani  .Americans. 

As  Mr.  Wolfskin's  protest  against  Geu.  Vallejo's  arbitrary  order 
was  of  no  avail,  an  appeal  was  made  in  lft45  to  Gov.  Pico  at  Lob 
Angeles,  Mr.  Warner  attending  to  the  matter  here  for  Mr.  Wulfakill, 
and  Vaca  was  cited  to  appear  before  the  Governor. 

Meanwhile.  John  Bidwell  had  made  a  map  of  the  Sacramento 
Valley,  which  he  sent  to  Jnaii  Bandini  at  I-os  Angeles,  Mr.  Warner 
took  this  map  before  Gov.  Pico,  and  when  the  matter  came  up,  the 
Governor  plainly  told  Vaca  that  he  had  misrepresented  the  matter; 
In  abort,  had  lied  to  him,  by  sapng  that  there  were  two  rivers  on 
the  grant  iuHtead  of  one.  (The  Wolfskill  grant  is  bisected  by  Pnta 
Creek  ,but  it  does  not  extend  to  Cache  Creek  by  several  miles.)  Vaca 
made  the  ijuibbling  reply  that  he  bad  said  there  were  two  places  oa 
the  some  river. 

"No,''  said  the  Governor,  "that  is  not  what  yon  said,  and  if  yoa 
■ay  so  again  I  will  send  you  to  the  guardhouse.'' 

Gov.  E'ico  decided  the  case  in  Wolfskin's  favor,  and  the  latter 


I 
I 

I 
I 
I 
I 

I 


JLpintrBBR  OF  SAVRAMENTO  V ALLEY. 


»7 


mored  back  from  Tache  to  Pata  Creek,  and  he  was  not  annojed  any 
mort-  after  thiit  hy  Vaca. 

In  18.")!.  Mr.  Wolfskill  commenned  to  cultivate  a  few  crops  and  to 
plant  orchard  and  vineyard,  pominfc  tn  Los  An^'Iea  for  fig,  pear  and 
English  walnut  tr^^B  and  grapp  cuttings,  etc. 

Tlie  rancho  was  devoted  to  stock-raising  mninlj  and  very  profita- 
bly daring  the  early  mining  period,  till  the  '<>Ds;  then  to  wbeat-grow> 
ing,  when  it  became  necessary  to  inclose  the  land  with  fence*.  About 
this  lime,  Mr.  Wolfakill  and  his  brother,  Willlani,  divided  tnelr  in- 
terests in  the  rnncho,  each  taking  one-half. 

.loUn  and  Green  McMnhon  fenced  John's  half  together,  the  lat- 
ter expending  ?ll>,nno,  and  building  twenty-one  miles  of  fence  in  a 
single  year.  Jobu  rented  his  half  of  the  land  to  wheat  farmers  on 
shares,  receiving  one-fourth  of  the  crop,  the  total  amount  of  which, 
tome  years,  amounted  to  80.000  sucks  of  grain. 

Within  the  lust  few  ^-ears  most  of  the  ranch  has  been  profitably 
devoted  to  fruil-culture.  A  branch  railroad  crosses  the  ranch  not 
far  from  Mr.  Wolfskill's  old  home,  the  nearest  station  being  "Wiu- 
tein."  Ur.  Wolfskin  has  divided  bis  rant'h  up  among  his  children* 
aad  now  makes  his  home  with  hie  soninlaw,  Samuel  Taylor,  who 
married  his  daughter  Frauoee. 

Mr.  Wolfskin  has  one  son,  Edward  (who  has  two  boya  and  one 
girl;)  and  three  daughters,  Melindn,  married  to  Clay  Goodyear;  they 
have  two  boys;  Jennie,  married  to  Frank  Bonneyj  and  Frances, 
married  to  Baranel  Taylor;  they  have  two  children. 

Mr.  Wolfskin,  in  1858,  married  a  daugliter  of  MaJ.  Stephen 
Cooper,  also  a  bislorieal  character  in  the  early.auuals  of  Califor- 
nia, and  who,  with  hts  daughter,  were  with  the  Uonner  party,  but 
who,  poshed  on,  and  thus  escaped  the  tragic  end  of  that  unfortu- 
nate bund;  which,  through  delay  and  bad  management,  perished 
from  cold  and  starvation  in  the  Sierra  Nevada  Mountains. 


EARLY   POSTAL  SERVICE   OF  CALIFORNIA. 


BT   J.   U.  GUIHN. 

[A  Portion  of  this  Paper  was  piibliBlied  in  the  Lou  Angetes  Daily 
Timeg.  March  7,  1807.] 

It  maj  be  a  Burprise  to  pereons  who  are  aocuBtomed  to  consider 
California  as  a  comparativel.v  new  countrj  to  know  that  it  had  & 
postal  B.Tstem  and  an  efficient  mail  service  before  the  United  State* 
existed,  aa  a  nation.  When  the  Continental  Congretifl,  in  1775,  made 
Benjamin  Franklin  Pontmaster-Oeneral  of  the  Cnited  Colonies,  sol- 
dier couriers  were  carrying  their  montblj  budgets  of  mail  l>etweea 
Montcrej  in  Alta  California  and  Loreto,  near  the  southern  end  of 
the  peniusula  of  Lower  Calirornia.  Kven  that  n)iichabiifK*d  privi- 
lege, the  franking  B.vstera,  the  perquisite  of  le^slatora  and  the  plague 
of  postmasters,  waa  in  full  force  and  elTert  in  California  years  and 
years  before  the  lawmakers  at  Washington  hud  been  granted  im- 
mirnity  to  RtnCr  the  mail  bags  with  garden  seeds  and  patent-office 
reports. 

Padre  Jnnipero  Berra,  president  of  the  California  missions,  in 
1773.  secored  from  the  Viceroy  of  New  Spain  (Mexico.)  for  the  friars 
tinder  his  charge,  the  privilege  of  sending  their  letters  through  the 
mails  free.  But  the  traukiug  privilege  uu  the  I'aoilie  shores,  like 
its  modern  suL>cessor  on  the  Atlantic  Coast,  gave  no  end  of  trouble. 
Tlie  jpadres  were  aeeused  of  nbusing  their  privilege.  In  1777,  Oo». 
Pages  refused  to  allow  Bcrra'a  Toluminous  letters  to  be  forwarded 
free,  and  Berra,  pleading  poverty,  told  the  Inspector-General  to  seep 
tbi^  letters  if  they  could  not  be  sent  without  paying  postage.  Pres 
ident  Laauen  complained  that  the  refusal  of  the  Governor  to  frank 
his  letters  had  cost  him  fl8  postage.  But  the  padree  were  triumph- 
ant iu  the  end.  The  government  franked  their  letters,  and  the  gov- 
ernment paid  the  bills,  just  as  our  beneficent  government  does  and 
has  been  doing,  lo,  these  many  years,  for  its  poor  legislators. 

At  the  beginning  of  Washington's  administration,  in  1789,  the 
longest  i;ontiDuou8  mail  route  in  the  United  States  was  from  Fal- 
mouth in  Maine  to  Savannah,  Oa.,  a  distance  of  1100  miles.  This  was 
not  II  through  service,  but  was  made  up  of  a  number  of  short  linen, 
or  L-arritfB.    At  the  same  time  on  the  shores  of  the  far  Pacific,  the 


EARLY  POSTAL  SERVICt-:  "F  CALIF'thNIA 


»9 


tioldier  iubU  earners  of  the  Hpanteli  King.  Btartinii;  frum  Ban  Fran- 
cisco OD  the  Hret  da.v  of  eacli  month,  rode  over  a  coutinuous  mate 
of  liJflU  miles  to  Loreto,  in  Lower  Califoniia,  collecting  qb  thev  went 
Hiutbward,  from  each  mieaion,  preeidio  and  pueblo  ka  little  budget 
of  moil,  and  returning  broaghT  back  to  the  colonies  of  Alta  Caliror- 
nia  rlii-fr  mail  from  Mexico,  making  in  all  a  round  trip  of  30t>0  miles. 
When  Franklin  was  PoatmaaterOencral,  the  schedule  time 
from  rbnrleston,  6.  C,  to  8offolk,  Va.  a  distance  of  433  miles,  cot- 
ered  twentj-seven  dajs,  an  average  of  sixteen  mile«  a  day. 
In  1793  a  mail  courier  sent  from  Uontere.r,  November 
16 ,  arrived  at  Loreto  December  7,  a  ride  of  1400  miles  in 
tweuty  da.ve.     There  was  a  n.>gular  schedule  of  the  day  and  hour  of 

the  carrier's  arrival  and  departure  at  each  tnissinn  and  pre«idio. 
An  hour's  stop  was  allowcHl  the  courier  at  each  station.  The  postal 
revenues  of  California  during  the  closing  decade  of  the  last  century 
averaged  fTOO  a  year.  The  hablUtndoa  (paymasters)  acted  as  post- 
mnsterH  at  the  presfdioa,  and  received  8  per  cent,  of  the  gross  re- 
ceipts for  their  compensation. 

While  the  through  mail  from  California  to  Mexico  was  carried 
by  soldier  mail  riders  over  the  Camino  del  Key  (King's  highway.)  to 
Loreto  and  from  there  by  sailing  vessels  across  the  Oulf  of  Califor- 
nia to  Ban  Bias  and  thence  overland  to  its  destination,  there  was  a 
local  mail  service  in  California  entirely  independent  of  the  King  and 
his  soldier  couriers.  The  mail  between  the  missions  was  carried  by 
Indian  runners.  There  was  no  schedule  time  for  the  departure  of 
the  mail  train — the  carrier  usually  started  when  the  letter  or  mes- 
sage was  completed.  His  budget  rarely  consisted  of  more  than  one 
letter.  The  wardrobe  of  the  old-time  California  Indian,  which  con- 
sisted of  a  breech-clout  or  a  gee-string,  did  not  admit  of  a  place  for 
a  pocket,  and,  as  his  hands  were  always  dirty,  some  device  had  to  be 
contrived  by  which  he  could  carry  the  letter  without  soiling  it.    In 

one  end  of  a  cane-shaped  piece  of  wood  a  cleft  or  split  was  made, 
and  in  this  the  letter  was  inserted.  The  tenacity  of  the  wood  held 
it  fast,  and  with  this  improvised  moil  pouch  on  his  shoulder  the  In- 
dian rnnner  started  for  his  destination  on  a  dog  trot,  that  carried 
him  sixty  or  seventy  miles  between  sunrise  ond  sunset.  An  extra 
dish  of  atole  (mush)  compensated  the  carrier  and  paid  the  postage. 

At  the  pneblos  the  alcalde  or  some  ofilcer  detailed  to  aot  aa  ad- 
minifltrador  de  correos  (postmaster)  received  and  distributed  the 
small  packages  of  mail.    The  compensation  for  his  services  was 


3Q 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHEJtN  CALIFORNIA, 


small.    It  did  not  re^aire  much  of  a  political  pull  to  get  a  pOBtofBce 
in  tboftc  days.  , 

It  would  be  iDtercBtiog  to  know  the  amount  of  rereDue  derived 
from  till-  I-OB  AngpleB  poalofflce  Id  1797.  Ab  there  were  not  more 
thaii  liHlf  a  doz«*ii  of  the  200  inliabitanta  of  the  pnebto  that  coald 
nop^jlsniimpB.o  B8i{OBq„joanud.\aj  aq)  'drai).;eq).^s<>)tJ.u  puiipB<u 
de  porreoH,  la  esafeta"  ipoBioflice.)  was  not  very  large,  and  it  ia  prob- 
able that  there  were  not  many  aspirants  for  the  poBition  of  pOBt- 
raaster  of  Ix>a  AngelcH  a  century  ago.,  now  it  wonld  hare  astoo- 
omos  pnq  o»b  ^jn:(ad5  b  o[qand  p[o  aqi  jo  jitjsitnuaod  aq>  paqst 
prophft  foretold  that  a  hundred  years  hence  the  revemjeo  of  the  Lo* 
Angeles  pofltollice  wonld  be  over  f200,000  a  year. 

TTnder  Mexican  rule  the  increased  number  of  veBaelfi  plying  be- 
tween Mexican  and  Californian  ports  did  away,  to  a  considerable  er- 
tent,  with  the  neceBslty  of  carrying  mall  by  land.  The  official  ban- 
dos,  reglamentoB.  pronunciamcntos  and  other  important  documents 
requiring  dispatch  iha«te  was  necessary  because  a  revolution  might 
OTertarn  the  government  before  the  document  reached  its  destina- 
tion,I  were  carried  by  couriers  over  the  old  Camino  real.  We  find  \w 
the  old  pueblo  archives  an  order  from  Acting  Governor  ilimeno.  dated 
August  24,  1839,  authorizing  the  Prefect  to  appoint  three  collectors 
of  duties  on  liquors — the  revenaes  derived  from  such  collw'lions  to 
be  applied  to  the  establishing  of  a  monthly  postal  service  to  Lower 
California  and  thence  to  Mexico.  The  duties  were  not  collected  and 
I  he  mail  route  was  not  established. 

NewB  from  the  outside  world  traveled  slowly  in  those  days.  An 
American  plont^r  notes  in  liis  diary  the  receipt  of  the  news  of  Fres- 
Ident  W.  H.  Hnrrison'H  death  in  1S41.  It  took  the  news  three  months 
and  twenty  days  to  reach  California.  A  newspaper  from  the  States  a 
year  old  was  freuh  and  entertaining  when  Dana  was  hide  drogbiug 
at  Ban  Pedro  in  1835. 

After  the  American  conquest  of  California  the  military  authori- 
ties established  a  regular  service  between  San  Francisco  and  Ban 
Diego.  Soldier  carriers  starting  from  each  end  of  the  route,  met 
half  way,  and,  exchanging  mail  pouches,  each  then  returned  to  his 
starting  point.    It  took  a  fortnight  for  them  to  go  and  return. 

After  the  soldiers  were  discharged,  in  the  latter  part  of  1848,  a 
ftemi-monthly,  or  perhaps  it  might  be  more  in  accordance  with  the 
facts  to  say  a  Bcmioccasional,  mail  sprvlce  was  established  between 
San  Francisco,  Loe  Angeles  and  San  Diego.    The  mail  was  carried 


EARLY  POSTAL  SBHVWB  OF  OAUFORNIA. 


31 


by  sailiuK  vessels  (there  beioi;  no  Htenuiers  oo  tbe  coast.)  Wind  and 
weather  permittiDg,  a  letter  might  reach  its  deetioatiou  in  four  or 
fire  da.Ts,  but  with  the  elements  against  it.  it  might  be  delayed  a 
fortnight.  Masters  and  supercargoes  of  vessels  luuk  charge  of  let- 
ters  and  deliT(>red  them  to  tbe  owners  or  agents  of  some  shipping 
honfle  at  tbe  port,  and  in  some  wa^  the  letters  reached  their  desti- 
nation. 

There  was  no  staige  line  for  cuuvejing  passuugers  or  mails  from 
the  eniban-adero  of  Ban  Pedro  to  Los  Angeles  previous  to  1851.  Be- 
fore that  time  a  cabatlada  ibaitd  of  horses.)  was  kept  in  pasture  at  tbe 
landing.  When  a  vensel  was  sighted  in  tbe  offing  the  mustangs  were 
rounded  up,  driven  into  a  corral,  lassoed,  saddled  and  bridled,  and 
were  ready  for  the  conv*'yancG  of  pasgengers  to  tbe  city.  As  tbe 
horses  were  half  broken  broncos  and  the  pasBPngera  were  mostly 
nwcoraers  from  the  fitntrB,  unused  to  the  tricks  of  bucking  mustangs, 
the  trip  g>i?nerally  ended  in  The  itnssenger  arriving  in  the  city  on  foot, 
the  bronco  having  landed  him  at  some  point  on  the  road  most  con- 
venient to  him — the  bronco — not  the  passenger. 

In  '49,  and  perhaps  before  that  time,  Wilson  &  Packard,  whose 
store  was  on  Main  street  where  the  Farmers'  and  Merchants'  Bank 
DOW  stands,  were  the  custodians  of  tbe  letters  for  Los  Angeles.  A 
tab  stood  on  the  end  of  a  counter.  Into  this  the  letters  were 
damped.  Any  one  expecting  a  letter  was  at  liberty  to  sort  over  the 
content*)  of  the  tub  and  take  away  his  mail.  Tbe  office  or  ratber 
the  postofHce  tub,  was  run  on  an  automatic  freedelivery  system. 
Col.  John  O.  Wheeler,  who  had  clerked  for  the  firm  iu  1849,  bought 
out  tbe  business  iu  1850,  and  continued  the  "Tale  of  a  Tub,"  (bat  is, 
continued  to  receive  the  letters  and  otber  literary  contents  of  tbe 
mail  bag  and  dump  tliem  iuto  the  tub.  There  was  no  regularly  en- 
tablished  postofllce,  and,  of  course,  no  postmaster.  An  officious  pos- 
tal  agent  of  San  Francisco  found  fault  with  the  tub  postoffice,  and 
tbe  automatin  free  and  easy  delivery  system.  The  Colonel,  who 
had  been  accommodating  the  public  free  of  charge,  told  tbe  agent 
to  take  his  postoffice  elsewhere.  The  first  postoffice  in  Oaliforma, 
that  of  Son  Francisco,  was  established  November  1>,  1848,  and  the 
offiffe  at  Monterey  November  21,  1848.  No  other  offices  were  esiab- 
lisbed  until  Novembers,  1849. 

The  postoffice  at  Los  Angeles  was  established  April  9.  1860,  J. 
Pogh  was  tbe  first  postmaster.  The  second  postmaster  was  W.  T.  B. 
Sauford,  appointed  November  (>,  1H51.    (Sanford  lost  his  life  by  llie 


99 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  CALIFORNTA. 


explosion  of  the  boHers  of  the  lUtle  nteamer  Ada  BRncock  in  Wil- 
mington IIu.v.  April  29,  18B3.)  The  third,  Dr.  William  B.  Oftburn, 
appointed  October  lil.  1853;  James  8.  Waite  was  appointed  Novem- 
ber, 1855;  J.  D.  Woodworth,  May  19,  1858;  Thomae  J.  White,  May  y, 
I860;  William  O.  Still.  June  8,  1861;  Pranoisco  P.  Ramirez,  October 
22,  1864;  Russell  Sacltett,  May  6,  1865;  George  J.  Clarke,  June  25. 
1866;  H.  K.  W.  Bent,  Febrnary  14.  1873;  laaac  R.  Dunkelberger, 
IVbruary  14,  1877.  (For  the  dates  fnven  above  1  am  indebted  to  Goi. 
John  K.  Mathews,  our  present  efficient  postmaster.)  John  W.  Qreen 
was  appointed  in  1885,  Col.  Dunkelberger  having  served  two  terma 
of  four  years  each.  Green  was  succeeded  by  E.  A.  Preuss,  who  in 
turn  was  succeeded  by  Green.  Green  died  iu  office.  H.  V.  Van 
Dueen  Ailed  out  the  term.  The  present  incumbent.  Gen.  John  B. 
Mathews,  was  appointed  Dec.  20,  1895.  Among  the  pioneer  poet- 
inasterB  of  Lo«  vVngelee  Dr.  William  B.  Oaburn  was  perhaps  the 
most  noted.  He  was  known  as  the  "most  useful  man''  and  could 
tnm  Ms  hand  to  almost  anything  that  came  along.  Xi^  was  a  pioneer 
Vn  many  enterprises,  some  useful,  others  the  community  could  have 
dispensed  with.  He  started  the  first  drug  store,  opened  the  drat 
auction  house,  established  the  first  nursery  and  introduced  the  first 
ornamental  trees  and  &hrubL»ery  in  Los  Augetes.  He  was  the  first 
City  Marshal,  and  the  first  political  boss  of  Los  Angeles.  While  filling 
the  office  of  postmaster  he  also  was  City  School  Superintendent.  He 
was  a  man  of  versatile  genius  and  varied  attainments.  In  ttie  pu- 
Htiral  battles  of  the  Kosewaters,  the  Short  Hairs  and  the  Pluga — the 
political  factions  of  that  day — ^be  often  snatched  victory  from  the 
very  jaws  of  defeat,  by  adroitly  holding  back  his  reserves  in  some 
of  the  outlying  precincts  controlled  by  his  faction  and  when  it  was 
known  how  many  votes  were  needed  he  overpowered  the  opposition 
by  an  overwhelming  vote. 

The  duties  and  the  compensation  of  the  postmaster  were  light 
In  the  winter  of  1852-3,  no  mail  was  received  at  the  Los  Angeles  office 
for  six  weeks. 

From  the  wash  tub  the  Los  Angeles  postofBce  gravitated  to  a 
soap  box.  It  seemed  in  early  days  to  keep  in  the  laundry  line.  The 
office  was  kept  in  a  little  7x9  room  on  Los  Angeles  street,  between 
Commercial  and  Arcadia  streets.  The  letters  were  kept  in  a  soap 
box  pailitioued  off  into  pigeon  holes.  When  the  postmaster  was 
not  attending  to  his  auction  room,  or  looking  after  his  nursery,  sn- 
perintending  the  schools,  or  organiKing  his  forces  for  a  political  cam- 


BARLY  POSTAL  SERVICE  OF  CALIFORNIA. 


n 


paign,  he  attended  to  the  duties  of  tlie  office.  At  Bueh  times  as  bis 
other  dnties  called  bim  away  the  office  ran  itself.  If  a  oitiseD 
thonght  there  ought  to  be  a  letter  for  him  he  did  not  hunt  up  the 
postmaster  but  weiit  into  the  office  and  looked  over  the  mail  for  him> 
self. 

Upon  the  arrival  of  a  moil  from  the  "Staten,"  there  were  no  snoh 
scenes  enacted  at  the  Los  Angeles  office  as  took  piace  at  the  Ban 
Francisco  office;  where  men  stood  in  line  for  hours  and  950  slags 
were  exchanged  for  piacea  in  the  line  near  the  window.  There  were 
but  few  Americans  in  Loa  Angeles  in  the  early  'ol)»,  and  most  of 
these  were  old-timers,  long  since  over  their  home  sickness.  Of  Ibe 
new-comers,  some  were  not  missed  at  home,  or  if  missed,  they  were 
not  anxious  to  let  their  friends  know  where  they  were.  A  favonts 
form  of  mail  delivery  in  early  days  was  by  pitch  and  toss.  When  a 
mail  arrived  a  concourse  of  the  patrons  gathered  at  the  office  and 
watched  over  the  counter  or  bar,  the  postmaHter  sorting  the  letters. 
If  be  found  a  letter  for  a  spectator,  be  called  out  the  name  and 
with  a  twirl  of  the  wrist  or  an  overhand  toss,  sent  the  letter  into  the 
outstretched  hands  of  the  expectant  owner — a  form  of  delivery  not 
down  in  the  postal  regulations. 

Just  where  the  Los  Angeles  postofflce  was  first  located,  I  am  un- 
able to  say.  Id  1852  it  was  kept  in  an  adobe  bnilding  on  Los  Angeles 
street,  t>etween  Commercial  and  Arcadia,  adjoining  Osbum's  auction 
house. 

Id  1854  it  was  located  in  the  Salaza.r  Row,  on  Main  street,  just  sonth 
of  where  tbe  St.  Elmo  hotel  now  stands.  In  Januaiy,  1S55,  it  was  movtd 
to  Los  Angeles  street,  one  door  above  Commercial  street. 

From  there,  when  Waite,  publisher  of  the  weekly  Star,  was 
postmaster,  it  was  moved  to  Temple  Block,  uow  Downey  Block,  op- 
posite Commercial  street.  From  there  it  was  moved  to  tbe  present 
site  of  the  Bnllard  Block  and  from  there  to  the  Lanfranco  Block 
on  Main  street.  In  1858,  it  moved  up  Main  street  to  a 
building  just  sonth  of  the  Pioo  Honae;  then,  after  a  time, 
it  drifted  down  town  to  North  Spring  street,  a  few  doors  be- 
low Temple  street.  In  1861,  it  was  kept  in  a  frame  building  south  of 
the  St.  Elmo,  or  Lafayette  Hotel,  as  it  was  then  called.  In  1865,  or 
*66,  it  again  moved  up  Main  street  to  a  building  opposite  the  Bella 
Union  Hotel,  now  the  St.  Charles.  In  1867,  it  was  located  in  the 
Temple  Block  on  North  Spring  street.  H-  K,  W.  Bent  moved  the 
office  to  Union  Block,  now  Jones  Block,  on  the  west  side  of  North 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA. 


RpHoK  street.  From  there,  io  1S79.  when  Donkclberger  wu  poot- 
uiasl'T,  it  was  mored  to  the  Oxarart  Block,  od  North  Spring  str^-et. 
Dear  Kinit.  In  1885  it  waa  taken  to  the  corner  of  North  Main  and 
Bepatilk  sreeta,  itam  whence  it  migrated  dovn  Broadway  below 
flixth  stTY-et.  It  made  its  last  move  in  Jane,  1893.  wheu  it  reached  its 
pffrijfnl  lucatJon,  where  after  more  than  forty  years  of  wandering 
tbroogh  the  wildernesii  of  streeta,  at  last  it  reached  ita  Caanan — a 
home  of  tt«  own. 

The  stiipe-conch  era  of  maiI-<*flrry!nK  continued  later  in  Cali- 
fomia  than  In  any  State  east  of  the  Miasiaaippi;  and  it  may  be  aaid 
that  it  reached  Its  greatest  perfection  tn  thia  State.  Very  early  in  the 
■5<>fl  Kacramento  became  the  center  of  the  nnmeroim  stage  roDtes  of 
Northern  California.  The  old-time  ataRe-driver  has  been  immortal- 
ised by  Bret  Harte  and  Horace  Greeley.  The  first  atage  ever  aeen 
in  PoiiUieru  California  arrived  in  Los  Angelea  in  1851.  It  waa 
"<3regory*a  Qreat  Atlanlia  and  Pauiflc  Expresa"  from  Ban  Praoclaco, 
and  broDgbt  the  eaatem  mails  to  Loa  Angelea  in  the  hitherto  nn- 
henrdof  time  of  "one  month  and  nineteen  days."  The  flrst  over- 
land stage  by  a  Boutbcm  route  started  from  Ban  Antonio,  Tex.,  and 
followed  the  extreme  aouthern  emigrant  ronte  through  New  Mexico 
and  Arizona  (or  Oadaden  Pnrchaae)  to  California.  The  first  stage 
by  this  route  reached  Ban  Di^o  in  August,  1857.  The  Indiana  con- 
tracted a  bad  habit  of  distributing  tfae  mails  and  the  mail-carriers 
over  the  plains,  and  the  route  was  abandoned.  The  Dutterfleld 
stage  route  waa  the  longest  nnntinuouH  line  ever  organized  and  the 
beat  managed.  Its  eaatern  termini  were  St.  Louis  and  Memphis;  Ita 
western,  San  Pranciaco.  Ita  length  was  2880  mtlea.  It  began  opera- 
tion in  Reptemlier,  1858,  and  the  first  atnge  from  the  East  reached 
Lob  Angeles,  October  7,  1858.  The  acbedule  time  at  first  between 
St.  Louis  and  8an  Francisco  waa  twenty-four  days;  afterward  re- 
duced to  twenty-one  days.  The  first  service  was  two  mail  coaohea 
each  way  a  week,  for  which  the  government  paid  a  subsidy  of  ffJOf),- 
000  a  year.  Later  on  It  waa  increased  to  aix  a  week  and  a  subsidy  or 
|l,flOO,flOO  a  year.  Thia  waa  in  1861,  when  it  waa  transferred  to  tiie 
central  route.  In  1859,  wheu  the  governuieut  was  paying  a  subsidy 
of  lOOU.OOO  for  a  semi-weekly  service  the  receipts  for  the  postal  reve- 
nne  of  this  route  were  only  127,000^  leaving  Uncle  Sam  over  half  a 
million  out  of  pocket. 

The  Butterfleld  route  from  giau  Francisco  southward  was  by  the 
way  of  San  Jos^,  Gilroy,  Pacheuo'a  Pass,  Visalia  and  Fort  Tejou 


BARLT  POSTAL  SERVICE  OF  CALIFORNIA. 


to  T<OH  Angolea.  462  miles.  Eo^twHrd  from  Lob  ADgeles  by  El  Monte, 
Tfiiiecula  and  VVRriH'r's  rjinrh  to  Fort  Yuma.  From  there  by  Tiio- 
Bou  and  EI  Paeo,  following  the  present  route  of  the  Hoiithern  Pacifio 
Riulroad;  tlience  northward  to  8t.  IjoniB,  braut-hiog  at  Fort  Smith  to 
Memphifi. 

Lon  Angeles  was  proud  of  its  overland  Htage,  and  put  on  metro- 
politan air«.  "Sevtt  from  the  SrateH;  fresh  news,  only  twent.T  days 
old!  The  Weekly  Star  nishi^l  out  an  eitrn  with  tlaming  headiine*- 
"Ahead  of  Time,"  "A  Hundred  (juni*  for  the  Overland  Alafl," 
'•Twenty  I>ay8  from  St.  Louis."  But,  alas!  the  sleepy  old  cindad 
could  not  keep  awake.  The  uext  isBue  of  the  Star  saye:  "The  over- 
land mail  arrived  at  midnight.  There  was  no  oue  iu  the  poatoffice 
to  reielve  it,  and  it  was  carried  on  to  Sau  Franejaeo,"  to  be  reluroed 
six  days  later,  with  all  the  freRhneas  of  the  newB  gone.  Lob  .Ad^v- 
I«^  never  bad  a  mail  Bervice  ho  prompt  as  the  Butterfleld  was.  The 
Star,  in  lauding  it,  aaya:  ''Tlie  arrival  of  the  overland  mail  ie  as 
regular  an  the  indei  on  the  clock  points  to  the  hnur;  a«  true  to  time 
s»  the  dial  is  to  the  sun.**  Althongh  the  greater  part  of  the  route  lay 
through  an  Indian  country,  the  Indians,  from  sad  experience,  had 
learued  to  let  it  alone.  After  the  civil  war  began  in  1801  the  roote 
was  abandoned.  The  Coufederates  got  away  with  the  Htock  on  the 
eastern  end  and  the  Apaches  destroyed  the  stock  and  the  Htationa 
ou  the  western  end. 

In  1861,  a  contract  was  made  with  Butterfleld  for  a  six  times-a- 
week  mail  by  the  central  route,  via  Salt  Tjike  City.  wUli  branch  lines 
to  Denver.  The  eastern  termSnua  was  at  first  St.  Joseph,  but  on  ao- 
coiint  of  the  war  it  waa  changed  to  Omaha.  The  western  terminna 
was  I'lncerville,  Cal.;  time,  twenty  days  for  eight  months,  and 
twenty-three  days  for  the  remaining  four  months.  The  contract  was 
for  three  years,  at  (tl.OftO.OOft  a  year. 

The  last  overland  stage  contract  was  awarded  to  Wells,  Fargo 
<:  Co.,  on  October  1, 1S68,  for  |1,750,000  per  annum,  with  deductions 
for  carriage  by  the  railway  which  was  then  pushing  across  the  con- 
tinent. 

The  mail  roQte  via  Tanama,  which  had  been  established  in  1849, 
waa  discontinued  in  July,  1870.  In  1851  the  governmeiil  was  paying 
the  Pacific  Mail  Steamship  Company  |tROn,(H)0  a  year  for  a  semi- 
monthly service.  The  postage  ou  letters  at  first  was  fixed  at  40  cents 
and  papers  H  cents.  Postage  on  letters  to  the  interior  of  the  State 
■was  12^  cents.    The  pony  express  was  established    in    1860.    The 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA. 


fii-Bt  menseager  left  San  Francisco,  April  3,  1860,  aod  the  &rst  one 
fpoin  the  East  arrived  on  the  I4th.  The  time  for  letters  to  New  York 
was  reduced  to  thirteen  daye.  The  ride  the  "plaiuB  across"  was 
made  in  about  teji  daj-s.  The  stations  were  abont  twenty-flre  miles 
apart,  and  each  rider  was  expected  to  span  three  stations  In  eight 
hours.  The  service  was  semi  ■weekly'.  A  rider  carried  a  budget  of 
fifteen  pouudB.  Letter  postage  was  $5  per  half  onnce.  The  enter- 
prise did  not  pa,T,  and  was  abandoned  on  the  completion  of  the  over- 
land telt'graph  in  November,  1861.  The  "pony  express"  is  the  ro- 
mance era  of  the  overland  mall  service.  Its  story  has  been  told  over 
and  over  again  in  prose  and  verse.  The  perils  of  the  rldcra  have 
been  magnified  and  the  average  reader  has  been  led  to  believe  that 
never  before  or  since  were  there  such  daring  riders  aod  snch  adveu- 
turoos  couriers,  and  yet  their  service  was  not  one  whit  more  perilous 
and  was  far  less  laborious  than  that  of  the  soldier  correros  who  car- 
ried the  California  mall  from  Monterey  to  Loreto  nearly  a  century 
bi^fore. 


DR.  WILLIAM   F.   EDQAR. 


BY    H.    D.    BARROWS. 


[Rud  October  4,  1S97.] 

Again  is  our  society  called  opon  to  mourn  the  decease  of  one  of 
Its  honored  members.  Dr.  William  Francis  Edgar  died  at  his  home 
ou  WaHbiiigtou  street,  this  citj',  August  ^3,  lHi»7,  at  the  age  of  73 
years. 

Dr.  Rdgtir  was  bom  iu  Jessamine  couut^',  K^'.,  in  1823,  but  moved 
with  h!B  parents  when  a  bojr  to  Misgouri.  He  was  graduated  from 
the  Uuivorsitjr  of  Lnuisritte  in  1848,  and  wns  oomroift8ioned  as  assist- 
ant Burgeon  in  the  army,  March  2,  1849.  He  was  asfiigned  to  a  regi- 
ment of  Mounted  Rifles,  which  was  ordered  to  Orejron.  The  com- 
mand reached  Fort  Vancouver,  ou  the  Columbia  River,  in  July,  1850, 
remaining  there  a  few  months,  a  portion  of  the  officers,  mean  while, 
being  ordered  East  on  recruiting  si^rvice.  the  remainder  of  the  regi- 
ment being  transferred  to  the  First  Dragoons,  under  command  of 
Maj.  Philip  Kearney,  who  had  oi-ders  to  orgauiKe  att  expedition  by 
laud  to  Cjilifomia.  This  expedition,  after  subduing  the  hostile 
Rogue  River  Indians,  reached  Benicta,  Cal.,  the  last  of  July,  1851  j 
from  there  it  went  and  joined  the  force  at  Sonoma,  where  there  were 
stationed  at  that  time  Capt.  (afterward  Gen.)  Joe  Hooker;  Maj.  (af- 
terward Gen.)  Philip  Kearney;  Lieut.  Derby,  the  gentle,  genial 
humorist,  who  af  Lerwnrd  was  so  well  known  by  the  old  residents  of 
San  Diego,  and  who  acquired  a  national  reputation  as  ''John  Pboe- 
Dix,"  and  also  two  old  I.1O8  AugeleQDs,  namely,  Lieut,  (afterward 
Gen.  and  Governor)  George  Btoneman,  and  Dr.  John  B.  GrifBu.  Of 
atl  that  notable  band  of  heroic  offlcers,  now  that  Dr.  Edgar  has  juat 
passed  away,  only  the  venerable  pioneer,  Dr.  Griffin,  already  past 
four  score,  slill  survives. 

In  the  latter  part  of  1S51,  Dr.  Edgar  was  ordered  to  Camp  (since 
Fort)  Miller. 

[NOTE:  In  the  years  1S0(»  and  '01,  Dr.  Edgar  contributed  to 
our  society  a  series  of  papers,  recoanting  his  experiences  as  an  of- 
ficer of  the  army  in  pioneer  times  at  the  various  frontier  forts  of  the 
Pacific  Coast.    These  very  interesting  reminiscences  were  printed 


38  HISTORICAL  SOC. 

in  the  annual  publiciHi' 
sketch  of  Dr.  Edgrars  I 
self,  in  the  IHnstrntiil 

In  1854,  Dr.  Edna 
Dragoons,  assisted  in 
many  .vears  was  a  n-v} 
occurred  about  this  ti 
Doctor's  future,  whirl 
in  December,  while  - 
from  a  sick  bed  to  v 
Bleet-stonn  to  atteii- 
dark  and  the  groun- 
whereby  the  doctor 
found;  one  of  his  li 
aud  two  men  and  : 
abandoned  Indinn 
returned  to  the  fi 
rectly  after  bis  ji  ■ 
of  the  entire  left 
and  speak,  and,  ^ 
a  three-months' 
years  afterward 
valuable  BerTit  > 
ful  if  he  ev»  v 
hnrt  on  that  t< 

On  the  e^ 
Jefferson  bar 
to  Texas  ant' 
soldiers,  to  ^ 
with  recrnii 
ward  he  w 
The  force  ^ 
the  history 
of  Loc  An 
the  centra 

After 
at:       r: 

t 


DR.  WILUAM  F.   EDGAR 


noand  remained  to  garriBon  Fort  Mojave  aud  tlie  other  part  petnrned 
to  L()fl  Angeles  and  i-anii>ed  near  the  present  site  oF  Compton;  and 
l)r.  Edpar  was  ordered  lo  Sau  Diego,  where  ho  remained  till  No- 
vember. 1S61,  when,  with  the  halanee  of  the  regular  troops  on  thU 
Coast,  he  was  ordered  East  to  take  part  in  the  War  of  the  Rebellion. 

Dr.  Edgar  remained  some  time  with  the  Arnij  of  the  Potomac, 
and  then  waa  ordered  to  Riiell'ft  army  in  Kentucky,  where  he  soon 
was  en}faged  In  organizing  a  hiTge  general  hospital  in  Louisville, 
which  he  had  charge  of  until  his  assignment  as  mediral  direetor  at 
Cairo,  where,  from  want  of  rest  or  ineesaant  labor  and  from  the  op- 
presiiiTe  climate  of  summer,  he  had  a  partial  relapse  of  the  former 
paraljsis,  which,  with  other  troubles,  rendei-ed  him  untit  for  the 
field  at  the  time,  and  lie  was  ordered  before  a  retiring  board  in  Wash- 
ington. On  examination  he  was  retired  from  active  service  in  the 
field.  After  recovering  from  (he  effeelH  of  a  severe  surgical  opera- 
tion he  waa  aH»*igued  to  duty  in  the  medical  director's  office  in  the 
DciMifliueut  of  tlie  East,  and  a  part  of  the  time  he  was  a  member  of 
a  board  to  organize  the  Signal  Corps  In  Washington.  At  the  rlostf 
of  the  war  he  was  assigned  the  duty  of  disposing  of  the  effects  of  the 
general  liOKpitala  of  that  department,  and  closing  them  up.  After  this 
he  was  again  ordered  to  the  I'acitic  Coast,  and  waa  stationed  at 
Drnmm  barracks.  Los  Angeles  county,  iu  1S66.  where  he  remained 
three  years.  Finding  his  health  giving  way,  he  was  relieved  from 
military  duty  one  year,  aud  he  retired  to  his  ranch  at  San  Gorgonio, 
Knn  Iternnrdino  county,  aud  while  Ibere  Congress  passed  a  law  i.Tan- 
nary,  187(K)  which  provided  that  officers  retired  from  active  aerviee 
should  be  relieved  from  all  duty. 

After  remaining  at  his  ranch  a  year  or  two,  and  his  health  im- 
proving, he  came  to  Los  Angeles  and  practiced  his  profession  nearly 
five  years.  Since  1880,  having  sold  his  ranch,  he  made  his  home  in 
Log  Angeles  till  his  death.  After  all  his  travels  and  exploraUous, 
he  aesuH'd  the  writer  that  he  considered  Low  Angeles  the  choica 
spot  of  the  Paciflc  Coast,  and  of  the  entire  country. 

In  1805,  Dr.  Edgar  was  married  to  Miss  Catherine  L.  KenueBck, 
a  native  of  Xew  York  City,  who  survives  him.  The  union  waa  an 
ideal  one,  as  all  who  were  at  all  intimately  acquainted  with  Dr.  and 
Mrs.  Edgur.  will  acree.  About  two  and  a  half  years  ago  Dr.  Edgar 
suffered  another  and  third  parab'tic  stroke,  which  rendered  him  t>otIi 
helpless  nnd  speechless,  and  from  which  he  never  recovered,  though 
his  mind  remained  clear  to  the  last.    The  tender,  sympathetic  eare 


30 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  CAUfORN/A. 


he  rei'eivL*(l  from  hie  devoted  w!fe  doring  his  last  sickness  im- 
iDeasurably  initignted  bis  affliction,  if  it  did  not  effectiTcly  tend  to 
prolong  bis  life. 

Pr.  Edgnr  -was  a  sehotar  and  an  earnest  student,  a  thorough 
man  of  the  world,  a  warm-hearted,  genial  gentleman,  and  an  accom- 
pliahed  phrsiciau  and  surgeon.  A  considerable  portion  of  his  life 
was  spent  in  the  service  of  his  country  in  the  regular  army.  He 
was  held  in  the  highest  estimation  by  his  brother  officers,  aa  well  as 
by  civiliunK  wbereier  he  was  known.  His  funeral  wae  largely  at- 
tended by  the  old-tlmera;  his  body  was  attired  in  the  uniform  of  an 
officer  of  the  United  Btatea  anny;  on  the  coffin  rested  the  beautiful 
Bword  preHented  to  him  many  years  ago  by  Gen.  Phil.  Kearney,  and 
after  his  close  friend,  Dr.  J.  P.  Widney,  had  pronoonced  a  fitting 
and  appreciative  enlogy,  and  the  friends  present  and  his  widow  over- 
whelmed with  grief,  hud  taken  a  last  look,  bis  mortal  remains  were 
taken  to  Rosedale  Cemetery,  w^here,  after  "taps"  had  been  sounded — 
"Oood-night,  goodnight,  good-night!" — they  were  deposited  in  their 
last  resting  place,  their  final  home  within  the  bosom  of  Mother  Earth. 

His  spirit,  we  may  hope,  has  risen  to  a  higher  and  more  etheieal 
sphere,  where  the  possibilities  of  the  soul's  progresa  and  development 
are,  and,  from  the  nature  of  things,  must  be  altogether  beyond  mortal 
conception! 

As  was  said  by  the  intimate  friends  of  the  late  Bev.  Mr.  Birdsall 
at  his  death,  so  I  think  it  can  be  said  with  truth  by  those  who  knew 
Dr.  Edgar  intimately:    "We  really  loved  that  man!" 

Dr  Edgar  during  his  residence  in  Southern  California  of  over 
thirty  years,  inoatly  at  Los  Angeles,  won  the  respect  and  genuine 
friendship  of  all  who  knew  him  well. 

His  sterling  qualities,  his  eminent  services  as  assistant  medical 
director  of  the  army  iu  the  civil  war  and  bis  long  and  faithful  ser- 
vices on  the  frontier,  aa  well  aa  hia  generous  benefactions,  are  oer- 
tainly  worthy  of  being  commended  without  reservation  to  all  the 
world. 


I 

I 
I 


ECHOES  FROM  THE  AMERICAN  REVOLUTION, 


BY   DK.   J.    D.    HOODT. 


[DeliTercd  «oT«mber  i,  1897.] 

I  have  had  ttie  good  fortnnt^,  lately,  to  pick  up  in  an  old  book 
■tall,  ru'u  uld  t>ooKH,  one  u  cup.v  of  tbe  Karopean  Magazine,  pab- 
lished  in  I^ondon  in  1782,  tbe  clofdng  year  of  our  war  for  inde- 
pendence, and  the  other,  the  Political  Magar-ine,  likewise  pab* 
lished  in  London,  but  a  few  yoani  later,  in  1787. 

The  European  Magazine  contained  every  month  a  auinmary  of 
parliamentary  matters,  the  burden  o(  which  was  the  American  war. 
How  vividly  those  records  called  up  school  days  in  American  his- 
tory. How  far  away  those  old  timea  seemed.  And  yet,  here  were 
the  old  familiar  names,  Washington,  Greene,  Marion,  CorQwaUia^ 
Valley  Forge,  Yorktown,  Eutaw  Springs.  A  report  of  this  latter 
battle  read  as  if  it  might  have  occurred  but  yesterday. 

These  records  disclose  in  the  very  words  of  the  chief  actors 
themselves,  what  a  host  of  friends  we  had  in  the  British  l*arliament; 
or  rather,  what  a  strong  opposition  the  mad  policy  of  a  mad  King, 
had  in  the  councils  of  the  government  itself.  The  struggle  on  the 
part  of  Great  Britain  had  been  a  costly  one,  in  men  and  money.  The 
oppoHitiou  had  been  gaining  ground  in  proportion  as  the  reverse* 
became  greater.  On  the  reception  of  the  news  of  Cornwallis's  sur- 
render, this  feeling  culminated  in  fierce  attacks  on  the  government. 

Hut  1  will  let  the  books  speak  for  themselves.  On  November 
27,  nm,  the  King  addressed  the  House  of  Lords,  In  which  he  used 
the  lollowing  words;  "Ho  endeavors  have  been  wanting  on  my 
part  to  extiuguisb  that  spirit  of  rebellion  which  our  enemies  have 
found  meuus  to  foment  and  maintain  in  tbe  colonies,  and  to  restore 
to  my  deluded  aubjecta  in  America  that  happy  and  prosperous  con- 
dition which  they  formerly  derived  from  a  due  obedience  to  th« 
laws;  but  tbe  late  misfortune  iu  that  quarter  calls  loudly  for  your 
firm  concurrence  and  assistance,  to  frustrate  the  deslgna  of  our 
enemies,  equally  prejudicial  to  the  real  interests  of  America  and 
to  those  of  Great  Britain." 

We  smile  whra  we  read  "deluded  subjects.''    How  well  his  ap- 


3* 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA. 


I 


pi-nl  was  recpivL-d.  we  learu  from  a  Htatement  tLat  in  tho  House 
of  Coniuioim,  on  that  same  day,  William  Pitt  declartHl  tliat  a  day 
n-nuld  Bouu  come,  wht'ii  tfaf  issuf  as  to  prulun^ing  the  war  would 
be  mei.  On  Ikmiik  a»kcd  wlien  tbat  day  would  arrive,  lie  replied: 
"^'heii  His  Majesty's  minlaters  came  down  and  aslced  for  7000  men 
as  a  sutistiturion  for  the  annj  which  we  bad  lost/'  On  Janaary  23, 
178ii.  Mr.  Foi,  in  erlticisinj?  the  government,  "then  went  over  a  regu- 
lar Bticcostiion  of  the  jirincipal  naval  erents.  He  began  with  the 
Bj'stem  of  sending  out  all  of  the  frigates  of  this  country  to  Amerioar 
in  order  to  plunder,  burn  and  deBtrny  all  the  trade  and  »eltle- 
menti;  of  the  America.na,  so  au  from  the  infancy  of  the  war  to  cot 
off  all  future  hones  of  a  reconciliation."  On  February  22.  in  me 
HouHe  or  ruinmuns,  Gen.  Conway  moved  an  nddre^H  to  the  King. 
dcsirinf?  Hia  MajeHty  would  discontinue  the  American  war,  and  in 
which  he  tinid  "be  should  not  state  the  progress  of  the  war,  the  large 
Bupplteii  which  had  been  granted,  the  unfortunate  applications  of 
tfao«c  fluppHes;  neither  should  he  take  notice  of  the  inhuman,  cruel 
and  nni^hnracterintfcal  manner  the  war  had  been  carried  on,  such  aa 
burning  towns,  ravaging  countries,  destroying  commerce."  Febru- 
ary 27,  (ontinuing  his  attack  on  the  goremment,  he  said:  ''In  the 
name  of  God,  what  conld  be  the  motive  of  ministers,  that  they 
wished  to  drive  every  spark  of  love,  every  tie  of  the  Americans, 
whom  he  would  still  call  brethren,  from  us?  Did  we  suppose  that 
by  the  infernal  plan  of  desolation,  buniing,  ravaging,  slaughtering 
and  ravishing  of  these  oppressed  people,  that  we  conld  ever  make 
tbem  love  lie?" 

And  yei  there  are  writers  who  protest  that  American  statements 
aH  to  tb'>  fXretfoes  uf  the  British  and  Tories  during  the  revolutionary 
war,  an;  overdrawn,  and  not  reliable!  Uilmore  Hiuis  never  put  it 
fltrouger  than  does  Gen.  Conway  himeelf.  ■ 

Bulislitute  Bpaiu  for  Great  BtJtaiu  in  the  above  debate,  and 
Cuba  for  America,  and  it  would  sound  like  au  ^Vasociated  l*reBs  dis- 
patch  of  today.  Under  date  of  January  22,  a  news  item  states  that  ■ 
"at  1  o'irlock  the  Kt.  Uon.  the  Earl  Ooruwallis  arrived  in  the  metrop- 
olis, acrompauied  by  Oen.  Arnold  aud  hiu  family."  On  March  6,  in 
a  debate  in  the  House  of  Commons,  Ix>rd  Surrey  said.  '*it  was  a 
matter  of  gi-eat  surprise  to  him.  when  he  attended  the  Speaker  of 
the  House  t<i  His  Majesty,  with  an  address  for  peace  with  .Vnaerica,  to 
wc  the  man  most  obnoxious  to  the  Americans,  standing  at  the  right 
hand  of  nis  Majfsiy,''    He  Kpoke  of  Gen.  Arnold. 

Benedict  Arnold!    Uow  the  boys'  hearts  beat    faster  and  their, 


1 


ECHOES  FROM  THE  AMBHirAN  REVOLUTION. 


33 


basda  ck-ucLed,  wbeuever  rfading  that  chapter  of  American  hts- 
Xovy  (lutHiling  AruoIdV  perfldy.'  And  here,  almost  a  lifetime  from 
that  »liid,v.  aud  »o  uuexpectedlj,  do  we  come  across  this  old  contem- 
poraneous account  of  him.  Kren  some  British  hearts  rebelled  at 
aoHtrcialiug  with  him. 

Under  date  of  Jauuary  7,  this  incideut  was  mentioned:  "A 
French  frigate,  having  on  board  troops  for  America,  fell  in  with 
a  Britisb  brig^aptured  it,  put  a  prize  crew  on  board,  aud  went  on 
her  way.  The  Englishmen,  who  had  been  made  prisoners,  felt  for 
the  aoft  spot  in  the  French,  made  them  druuk,  recaptured  the  brig 
and  ran  into  the  English  port  of  Swansea." 

On  page  83  I  find  this  very  curious  incident:  *'The  new  ninety- 
gun  ship,  the  Atlas,  that  was  lately  launched  at  Chatham,  bad  at  her 
head,  the  tlgore  of  Atlas  supporting  the  globe.  Ry  an  error  of  the 
builder,  the  globe  wan  placed  bo  high,  that  part  of  it  was  obliged  to 
be  cut  away  before  the  bowsprit  could  be  litted  in.  This  happened  to 
be  no  other  thou  all  ^orth  America,  and  what  was  more  remark- 
able, the  peraon  who  waa  ordered  to  take  the  hatchet  and  slice  it 
off,  was  an  American." 

I  do  not  remember  baring  seen  this  story  in  print  before.  It 
waa  certainly  a  vtry  singular  coincidence. 

A  certain  Count  O'Bourke  of  an  ancient  Irish  family,  and  who 
had  been  for  some  time  in  French  service,  returned  home  on  the 
breaking  nut  of  the  American  war,  and,  according  to  a  biographical 
notice  in  the  magazine,  proposed  to  the  Britiah  government  to  raise 
three  regiments  of  Roman  CatboHca  in  Ireland  to  be  employed 
against  the  Anu'ricanB.    His  offer  was  declined. 

On  January  31,  in  the  House  of  Lords,  an  inquiry  wae  ordered 
aa  to  the  execution  of  Col.  Haynes  in  ChnrlcBton.  The  execution 
waa  severely  condemned  as  having  been  done  without  due  procesa 
of  law.  All  the  papers  in  the  case  had  been  caat  into  the  oceau 
by  Lortl  Rawdon.  when  bis  vessel  was  captured,  to  escape  capture 
by  the  Americans,  so  no  action  was  taken.  In  the  February  num- 
ber is  a  letter  from  Col.  Stewart  of  the  British  army,  giving  an  ac- 
count of  the  battle  of  Eutaw  Bprings,  in  the  September  previous.  A 
peculiar  ex])resBiot]  is  found  iu  the  followiug  extract:  ''I  omitted 
to  inform  your  lordship,  in  its  proper  place,  of  the  army's  having 
been  for  fiome  time  much  in  want  of  bread,  there  being  no  old  corn 
or  milts  nenr  nie.  I  waa  therefore  under  the  necessity  of  sending 
out  rooting  parties  from  each  corps  under  an  officer,  to  collect  pota- 


14  HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OP  SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA. 

toitt  fTery  ni«mlnK  at  daybreak."  "Bootiog  partiea"  U  Trorth  re«nr- 
rMTfing.  It  will  Tnatch  >>lienna.D'B  bommers.  But.  fthade*  of  Oen, 
Marion,  wbnt  will  we  do  witli  ibat  potato  atory  of  bis  now* 

ThfW',  and  the  followiaf;  nnmb^n,  are  largeljr  taken  op  witli  bitter 
charges  and  eoiiniiT  rharpea  in  relation  to  the  American  war,  and 
I)riu(M]>a)l>  inspired  bj  the  new*  of  tbe  surrender  of  Lord  Corn- 
WBllia. 

The  following  news  Item,  under  date  of  February  7,  ahova  that 
the  youHK  republic  had  some  gturdy  representatirea,  who  knew  how 
to  talk  plain  Ami-ricau,  and  did  it,  too:  "The  following  roqniaition 
was  delivered  on  the  Btb  inat..  b.r  Mr.  Adams,  the  Miniater  Pleni- 
potentiar.v  from  the  United  Stalen  of  America,  at  the  Hague,  to  the 
President  of  Xhn  Aaaembljr  of  their  High  Mightinesaea:  'Sir — On  the 
Utb  of  Maj,  I  had  the  honor  of  a  conference  with  the  President  of 
the  Aftaembly  of  their  High  MightiDesaeB,  in  which  T  informed  htm 
tliat  I  had  received  a  commiasiun  from  the  United  States  of  America, 
with  full  ]K>wera  and  iustructioua  to  propoae  and  conclude  a 
frieudl.v  and  commercial  treaty  between  the  Unitc^d  States  of 
America,  and  the  United  Provinces  of  the  Netherlands.  In  the 
same  conference  I  had  the  honor  of  demanding  an  andienoe  of  their 
High  Mightlnessea,  for  the  purpose  of  presenting  credential  leMera 
and  UI.V  full  powers.  The  president  assured  me  that  he  would  im- 
part all  that  I  had  said  to  their  High  Mightinesses,  that  the  af- 
fair might  be  transmitted  to  the  different  members  of  the  sovereignty 
of  this  country,  to  undergo  their  deliberations  and  decjsions.  I 
have  not  yet  been  honored  with  an  anawer,  and  on  that 
account  I  now  have  the  honor  of  addressing  myself  to  you,  sir,  to 
demand  of  yon,  as  I  now  do  demand,  a  categorical  anuwer,  which  I 
may  transmit  to  (Jongress.  J.  ADAMS." 

"High  Mightinesses"  sounds  a  good  deal  as  though  he  were  ad- 
dressing the  big  mogul  of  some  modern  acHiret  society. 

On  February  22  Gen.  Conway,  in  an  address  to  the  King,  d6 
siring  That  His  Majesty  would  discontinue  the  American  war;  plead 
for  iome  attempt  to  conciliate  the  American  people.  Ho  stated 
that  they  "liad  7C,000  men — on  paper — in  America,  the  expense  of 
which  wns  po  great,  that  he  was  free  to  say,  that  not  only  this,  but 
no  country  on  earth  could  support  it."  The  world  must  have 
grown  somewhat  richer  since  this  76,000  army  was  such  a  ftnanoial 
burden.  The  funny  man  was  In  evidence  in  those  days,  as  well  aa 
now.     The  government    had  appointed    a  new  Secretary  of    the 


SCSOES  FROM  THE  AMERICAN  REVOLUTION. 


35 


American  Colonice,  a  Mr.  Ellis.  He  made  hta  maiden  speech.  Mr. 
Burke,  in  answer  said  "he  expected  to  hear  from  a  new  Minister 
of  tht!  Cabinet,  new  measuieH;  but  sorry  he  was  to  find  otherwise. 
The  insect  was  the  aaiue  when  it  crawled  upon  the  leaves,  aa  now 
that  it  had  thrown  off  its  skin,  and  blazed  out  In  all  the  splendor 
of  a  bulterflj — its  doctrines  were  the  same  when  it  had  sat,  snag 
rolled  up  in  its  woolly  coat,  as  now,  ttat  it  had  expanded  its  golden 
wings  to  the  sunbeams."     And  more  of  the  same  sort. 

After  a  heated  discussion,  a  rote  was  token  on  the  motion  to 
disconliuue  the  American  war;  193  votes  were  cast  for  the  motion 
and  194  against  it,  a  majority  of  only  one  to  continue  the  war. 
That  was  an  instance  where  mighty  interests  hung  on  only  one  vote. 

On  February  27,  Oen.  Conway  renewed  his  motion.  He  stated 
that  petitiona  had  been  received  from  the  towns  of  London  and 
Ilristol  apaiuBt  the  war;  also,  that  "you  could  not  go  into  a  cofifee- 
house  in  any  part  of  the  town,  but  the  universal  cry  was  against 
the  American  war.**  He  spoke  of  Washington  as  "that  great  Qen. 
Wushiiipton."  He  further  said:  "An  honorable  gentleman,  in  last 
Friday's  debate,  had  declared  that,  lately  on  the  continent  he  bad 
been  In  company  where  it  was  asked  of  what  country  be  was,  and 
on  being  told  he  was  an  Englifthman,  they  all  sneered  and  turned 
up  their  noises;  but  afterward,  in  another  company,  it  was 
whispered  he  was  an  American,  and  he  was  caressed  by  every 
one."  "The  Americans,  he  had  been  credily  informed,  wished  for 
peace,  but  waa  it  possible  for  any  people  to  be  weak  enough  to  trust 
to  men  that  were  continually  flhifting  their  gronnd  as  our  present 
Ministers  were,  calling  ihe  war  one  day  a  war  of  posts,  another  a 
defensive  war,  and  at  last  a  French-American  war?  He  would  not 
contend  ab(tut  mere  words,  for  a  rose,  to  be  sure,  called  by  any  other 
name,  would  smell  full  as  sweet  as  if  called  by  its  proper  name,  and 
on  that  head  he  would  let  them  have  the  fragrant  smell  of  the 
word,  American." 

"Mr-  Hill,  in  a  most  laughable  vein  of  ridcole  and  satire,  repro- 
bated the  system  of  His  Majesty's  Ministers.  He  said  they  might 
each  be  entitled  a  Don  Quixote;  the  American  war  was  their  Dul- 
ciuea  del  Tobosa.  Mr.  Secretary  Ellin  was  the  Bosiante.  and  he 
would  no  doubt  be,  in  a  short  time,  raised  up  to  the  stall  iu  which 
bis  predecessor  was  now  ranged,  where,  perhaps,  a  sword,  found  In 
the  fields  of  Mindcn,  would  be  laid  across  bis  chest  to  be  dubbed  a 
knight."    This  badinage    could    not  go  on  forever.    A  criala  waa 


36       HISTORICAL  SOUBTY  OB"  SOVTHEBN  CAUFOHNIA. 


approacliiiifi;.   Oou.  Conway  offered  the  following  motion  on  the  27th: 

"RosDlvf  d.  that  It  tit  the  opinion  of  this  Honse.  that  the  further 
ronTiiiiiiinrc  of  an  offensive  war  in  America,  for  the  purpose  of  gub- 
duing  by  force,  the  revolted  colonies,  totally  impracticable,  inas- 
raiicb  it»  it  weakens  that  force  which  we  oopht  to  employ  aj^nst 
our  Kuro|>eaii  enemies,  etc.,  etc." 

Thus  we  see  that  it  was  not  altogether  our  own  prowess  that 
Rained  ua  the  victory. 

At  J  iW  o'clock  Id  the  moriiiug  a  vote  was  taken  ou  the  gov- 
erumeut's  motion  to  postpone  further  debate  fur  a  fortnight.  It  was 
lost  by  19  votes;  then  the  main  question,  to  discontinue  the  war,  wa^ 
put  and  carried.  The  chronicler  does  not  give  tho  majority.  For 
us,  this  vvab  an  eventful  occ-asion.  The  pUHHing  of  the  iiight  in 
Kuglaud  ushered  in  the  duwu  of  peace    in  Amercn. 

lu  the  Political  Magazine,  I^ondon,  September,  1787,  I  notice 
the  establisbment  of  an  Acndeniy  of  Polite  Arts,  in  Mexico,  t^ntb 
America.  Evidently  geographiral  distinctions  were  not  very  well 
nndersfood  in  those  days. 

In  the  same  number,  under  the  head  ''American  Intelligence,*  1 
find  this  reninrkable  statement:  "We  learn  from  Philadelphia  that 
trade  ia  nearly  extinct;  money  very  scarce,  tnxea  almnnt  insup- 
portable, nnd  the  clamor  against  their  feeble  government  almost 
pniversnl." 

In  (he  Uecember  number  I  And  the  following  doleful  state- 
ment, Ifkken  from  a  letter:  'Olaltimore  is  all  going  to  decay.  Host 
of  the  merchants  and  capital  people  are  become  insolvent.  The 
newspapers  have  sometimes  eighteen  or  twenty  of  their  names  in 
tliem  of  u  day  as  insolvent.  This  country  ia  mined  by  the  scarcity 
of  money  by  the  weight  of  taxes,  which  the  people  are  unable  to 
bear  and  the  toss  of  that  trade  which  she  used  to  enjoy  whilst  con- 
nected with  Great  Britain.  Most  of  the  people  with  whom  I  am  ac- 
quainted, many  of  whom  were  very  zealous  in  the  cause  of  inde 
pendeuee,  are  uow  willing  to  be  once  more  under  British  govern- 
ment." 

Like  voices  from  the  grave,  these  echoes  from  the  revolutionary 
times  come  to  us,  and  freighted  with  the  hopes  and  the  bitterness 
of  human  iuteresls  of  those  far  away  times,  they  briug  closer  to  U8 
the  men  aud  people  of  that  great    struggle    for  national  exiatence. 


THE  OLD   PUEBLO   ARCHIVES. 


BY   J.   U.  GUINK. 


[Published  in  Los  Angeles  Daily  Times,  KoTembor  21,  1807.] 
On  a  ghelf  in  the  vault  of  the  Citj  Hail  of  Lor  Angeles  there 
■t&nd  tbret'  quaint  old  volumes,  ragged,  time-wom  and  brown 
with  age.  Tbej-  are  labeled  "Angeles  Arcliivet.  Vol.  I,  Vol.  II,  VoL 
III,"  Their  contents  are  written  in  pruvincial  SpantKh,  or  to  dfr 
scribe  the  langiiRste  more  clearly,  it  might  be  called  native  Califor- 
nia n  Spanish. 

More  than  half  a  centnrv  has  passed  since  the  last  line  was - 
written  in  these  old  volumes.    The    handwriting  on  some  of    the 
pages  is  faded  and  dim  with  age  on  others  it  stands  out  as  bold 
and  clear  as  the  day  it  was  written. 

The  books  are  rich  in  the  antographs  of  the  men  who  were  inaK> 
ing  Califuruia  hi»tor,v  sixty  or  seventy  years  ago,  when  Dios  y  Lib- 
ertad  <God  and  libertv)  was  the  motto,  and  the  cact as- perched 
eagle  the  symbol  of  Mexican  domination. 

They  abound,  too,  in  woriderfully-couHtructed  mbricaa — those 
mtricnte  flourishes  of  loops,  circles  and  zigzag  lines  following  eaoh 
name,  that  in  Bpanish  documents  take  the  place  of  our  English 
seal.  Every  man  had  one  of  his  own,  as  distinct  from  his  neighbor's 
as  the  brand  on  his  eattle,  and  fully  as  necessary,  for  bis  siguature 
was  not  legal  without  the  rnbrica. 

These  ribricns  are  wonders  of  the  penman's  art;  and  the  mys- 
terj  is  how  the  writer  could  construct  two  alike,  unless  he  kept 
a  copy  before  him.  Only  among  a  people  of  illimitable  patience 
in  a  land  of  poco  tiempo  would  men  go  through  life  repeating  such 
aotographical  moDstrositiee. 

The  subject  matter  of  these  old  volumes  is  an  oUa-podrida — a 
mixture  made  op  of  the  prooeedings  of  the  Ayuntamiento  (Municipal 
Council,)  election  returns,  applications  for  house  lots  and  lands, 
the  details  of  petty  trials,  treasury  accounts,  school  reports,  pronnn- 
oiamentos,  the  story  of  a  vigilance  committee,  and  the  skeletons 
of  two  or  three  defunct  revolutions  thrown  into  the  stew.  These 
old  books  contain,  in  brief,  the    story  of  the  civio  life  of  El  Poeblu 


S8 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA. 


and  itfc  suceuBor.  I^  Ciudad  dp  Noearra  Seftora  de  Lob  Angel( 
(the  City  of  Our  Lad.v  of  the  Aiiyels)  under  Mexican  rule.  Their 
c-onleDts  are  not  indexed,  oor  are  they  arranged  in  ohronologiov 
order  in  rfgard  to  the  fli-currencu  of  the  eventit  narrated.  There 
are  breaks  in  the  story  of  i-ivie  ii^  as  told  h.i  these  old  Tolumee — 
interregnunui  when  apparently  the  drowsy  old  ciudad  had  taken  a 
Bip  Van  Wii.k.e  sliH-p.  Th<^n,  after  the  lapse  of  months — sometimes 
yeaiT-thf  etory  (toes  on  an  if  ther'-  ner«-  no  mlsRing  links  in  the 
ehain  of  events — as  if  the  eity  had  awakened  from  a  refreshing  sleep 
and  iH'K'iti  I'liFiiifw  jtmt  where  it  led  oflt  mouthK  or  years  before. 

Mingled  amid  the  dry  dett^ls  of  what  the  ''Moat  IllnstrlonB 
Ayuntamiento"  did,  and  interspersed     between  the  grandiloquent 

(Speeches  that  the  garrulous  old  Dons  ottered,  and  the  con- 
scientious aeerptary  recorded,  we  find  the  record  of  customs  long 
siiii'i;  olwoffie.  nnd  of  iififtfTCR  nnd  .sct-ioJot'Ical  conditions  now  .in- 
known.  We  find  in  these  old  records  some  characteristics  ot  the 
old-tiuie  Californian  that  are  iu  contradiction  to  our  preconceived 
<r|  iin.ii'.  reuanl'-u^'  hiu<      We  have  been  ii'-i-'iMoiued  to  regard  liir> 

•«M  a  lover  of  pleasure,  with  nothing  of  the  ascetic  in  bis  composi- 
tion; giving  hJH  iiigbtK  to  dancing  and  nonietinios  hlH  dn^D,  too. 
And  yel,  in  these  old  records  we  lliid  legal  enactments  against  danc- 
ing Ihat  would  fade  the  azure  in  tbe  old  blue  laws  of  ConnectlcQi. 
I'rori-edingB  of  the  AyuulauiieDto:  Ordinance  Six  (January  20.  1838:) 
"Every  individual  giving  il  dance  at  his  Iiimse  or  at  any  other  house, 
without  first  having  obtained  pprmission  from  the  Alcalde  will  be 
fined  pS  for  the  first  offense,  and  for  the  second  and  third  punished 
according  to  law." 

Here  is  auotber  of  the  blue  laws  of  old  Los  Angeles  that  would 
have  called  forth  approval  from  the  grimmest  old  Puritan  of  New 
Kugtaud  in  tbe  days  of  Cotton  Mather: 

"Ordinance  5.  All  individuals  serenading  promiscuously  around 
the  street  of  the  city  at  night  without  flrst  having  obtained  perouB- 
sioQ  from  the  Alcalde  will  be  fined  91.50  for  tbe  first  offense,  f3  for 
tbe  second  offense,  and  for  tbe  third  pnuisfaed  according  to  law.^ 

What  the  penalty  of  "punished  according  to  law"  was.  the  ordi- 

namvH  do  not  define.    These  old     lawgivera.  however,    had  a  way 

of  making  Ibe  penalty  fit  the  individual.    It  is  safe  to  say  that  any 

perenader    who  bad  suffered  for  a  first  and  second  offense  without 

law,  wan  not  anxious  to  experience  a  "punishment  according  to  law" 

fur  the  third. 


OLO  PUl 


JBIVES. 


The  ''Wearj  Wllliea*'  of  that  day  were  compelled  to  tramp  for 
their  livinfi  verj  murh  as  thej  do  now.  Ordinance  No  i,  (Jannary 
go.  1838.)  "Every  person  not  having  any  apparent  occupation  in 
thin  city,  or  its  jurisdiction,  is  hereby  ordered  to  look  for  wcK-k 
within  three  days,  counting  from  (he  day  thiH  ordinance  is  pub- 
lished, if  not  complied  with,  he  wilt  be  Qued  92  for  the  firat  ofleuMb. 
y4  for  the  second  ofTense.  and  will  be  ^vva  compnlaory  work  tor 
the  third." 

If  he  only  kept  looking  for  work,  but  was  careful  not  to  find 
it.  it  would  seem  from  the  reading  of  the  ordinanne,  there  coold 
be  no  offense,  and  consequently  no  fint^  or  compulsory  work  for  the 
trump. 

The  Ayuntamiento,  or  Mnnlripal  ConDcil,  whicb  legislated  not 
only  for  the  city,  but  for  the  country  from  Ban  Juan  on  the  sooth 
to  San  Fernando  on  the  north,  was  composed  of  a  flrst  alcalde,  a 
second  nlcalde.  six  regidor-es  (or  aldermen,)  and  a  legal  adviser. 
The  alcalde  acted  as  mayor  and  president  of  the  couocU,  and 
police  Jndfre.  the  second  alcalde  taking  faia  place  when  he  was 
ill  or  absent.  As  the  regidores,  or  counoilmeu,  received  no 
pay,  and  were  liable  to  a  flue  of  |3  for  absence  from  meetings, 
the  office  was  not  sought  after.  Besides,  when  a  man  was  elected 
to  it,  was  next  to  impossible  for  him  to  resign.  The  tribulations 
of  Regidor  Pantoja  well  illustrate  the  difficulties  of  getting  rid  of  aK 
office  in  the  good  old  days  when  the  office  sought  the  man.  Fran- 
cisco Pantoja  was  elected  fourth  regidor  In  the  Ayuntamiento,  of 
1$37.  In  those  days  wild  horHes  were  very  namtorons  ,and  on  ao- 
count  of  their  eating  up  the  paBfurage  needed  for  the  cattle,  the 
rancheroH  slaughtered  them.  A  large  and  strong  corral  was  built, 
and  a  day  set  for  a  wild-horse  drive.  The  band  was  driven  into  the 
corral,  tlic  best  of  the  drove  lassoed  and  taken  out  to  be  broken 
io  the  saddle,  and  the  refuse  slaughtered. 

The  Vejars  petitioned  the  Aynutamiento  for  permission  to  build 
a  corral  btttween  the  Gerritos  and  the  Salinas,  for  the  purpose  of  cor- 
ralling wild  horfles  for  8laugbter;and  Tonias  Talamnntesmade  a  simi- 
lar request  to  bnild  a  corral  on  the  Sierra  San  Pedro.  ^Tien  the  cor- 
rals were  built  a  time  was  appointed  for  a  wild-horse  rodeo.  Pan- 
toja, being  something  of  a  sport,  petitioned  his  fellow-counciimen 
for  a  twenty  days'  leave  of  absence  to  join  In  a  wild-horse  chase. 
After  many  admonitions  from  his  fellow- regldores  to  be  careful  not 
to  get  away  with  his  neighbors'  tame  horses,  he  was  granted  a  leave 


HISTORICAL  SOCrSTY  OF  SOVTMERff  CALIFORNtA, 

of  absence.    A  wiWhoree  chaae  waa  wild  sport,  and  dangerous,  too. 
HoDM-bodv  w«e  snre  to  get  hurt,  and  Pantoja  wa*  one  of  the  ufl- 

fortunntes. 

"Of  all  the  rid-s  «inc(;  the  birth  of  Time, 
Told  Id  story  or  sung  In  rhyme," 
none,  jierhapH,  surpassed  in  mad  reckleBsnesB  that  of  Pantoja  and 
hie  (tllow  calmllcroB  at  the  wild-horse  chase  of  the  Cerriios.  Whfn 
his  iwenlyday  leave  of  absence  was  up,  Pantoja  did  not  njtiim 
to  the  balls  of  legislation,  hut  instead,  sent  his  resignation  on  rhe 
plea  of  illness. 

In  thoHe  days  the  offlee  sought  the  man,  not  the  man  the  office. 
and  it  might  be  added  that  when  the  ofiloe  caught  the  right  man 
it  refused  to  let  go  of  him  without  good  canse  (at  least  that  was  the 
case  when  there  was  no  pay  in  the  office.)  The  president  of  the 
Council  refosed  to  accept  his  resignation,  and  appointed  a  commit- 
tee to  hold  an  iuTetitigation  on  his  physical  condition.  There  were 
no  physiciane  in  Lou  Angeles  then,  so  the  committee  took  along  San- 
tiago McKinley.  a  canny  Scotch  merchant,  who  was  reputed  to  nave 
some  knowledge  of  sargery.  The  committee  and  the  imprOTised  acr 
geoD  held  an  ante-mortem  Inquest  on  what  remained  of  Pantoj«. 
The  committee  reported  to  the  council  that  he  was  a  physical  wrt-ck; 
that  he  could  neither  mount  a  horse  nor  ride  one  when  mounted. 
A  nati\e  Californian  who  hod  reached  sueh  a  state  of  physical  di- 
lapidation that  he  contd  not  mount  n  liortw  might  well  be  excused 
from  legialaton.  But  there  was  danger  of  a  precedent.  The  Council 
heard  the  report,  pondered  over  it,  smoked  over  it,  and  pondered 
again,  then  Bent  the  resignation  and  the  couuuittee's  report  to  the 
Governor.  That  functiouary  took  it  under  advisement,  and  after 
studying  over  it  for  two  or  three  months,  accepted  it.  In  the  mean 
ime,  Pantoja's  term  had  expired  by  limitation  and  he  had  recovered 
from  his  fall. 

Unlike  Borneo,  the  old-time  native  Californian  believed  there 
wu»  Bouielhing  in  a  name.  He  seemed  to  think  there  wua  a  kind  of 
talismauic  inQaence  in  u  holy  name  that  protected  the  bearer  from 
I'vil.  Therefore,  it  was  with  no  thought  of  irrevereoue  or  disrespect 
that  he  named  n  favorite  son  Jesus,  or  interpolated  the  name  of 
the  deit^-  in  his  family  surname.  The  old  pueblo  records  abound 
is  quaint  and  curious  family  names. 

Juan  de  Dios  Bravo,  John  Valiant  of  God,  was  a  well-known 
character  who  figured  in  the  early  history  of  the  pueblo.    Although 


THE   OLD  PVBBtO  ARCHIVUS. 


John  maj  have  been  "Valiant  for  God"  in  his  joath,  in  his  later 
years  he  seems  to  have  fallen  from  jfrace.  He  kept  a  saloon,  and  the 
records  show  that  on  Bereral  occanions  be  was  fined — probably  for 
selling  brandy  on  Sunday  durinR  "the  hour  set  apart  for  prayer  for 
soqIs  in  purgatory." 

Another  family  name  that  appears  in  the  old  records,  and  that 
disconntB  in  flery  zeal  the  Praise-God  Barebones  and  OntoMtfacb- 
Tribulationiiito  the-CxIory  of  God  MugRlestones.of  Cromwell's  time, 
isthedoDios  Pndillas  {TJttle  Frying  Tansof  God,)  Juan  de  DLoe  Pa- 
dilla — John  Little  Frying  Paji  of  God — waa  a  prominent  citizen  of 
Loa  Angeles  sixty  or  seventy  years  ago.  One  of  the  family  taught 
school  a(  Ran  Antonio,  and  doubtless  made  it  hot  for  the  bad  boys, 
Job6  de  la  Cruz  Linareti — Joseph  Flas  Fields  of  the  Cpobb — waa  the 
first  grantee  of  the  Bancho  Los  Kogalea. 

Money  was  always  a  very  scarce  article  in  the  early  days  of  Los 
Angeles.  What  little  business  was  transacted  was  done  by  ex- 
change of  products.  In  the  revolutionary^ays  of  the  early  30's,  when 
California  had  from  two  to  three  rival  governors  ranning  around 
loose  and  stirring  up  revolutions,  the  capitaliata  of  the  old  pueblo 
hoarded  up  the  few  pesos  and  reales  that  had  been  in  circulation, 
and  the  financial  stringency  in  1KS7  became  so  great  that  the  Al- 
calde reported  to  the  Ayunlaniiento  that  he  was  compelled  to  take 
country  produce  for  fines.  He  had  already  received  eight  colts,  six 
fanijgiis  (about  9  bushels)  of  c-orn,  and  35  hides.  The  Syndic  im- 
mediately laid  claim  to  the  colts  on  his  bark  salary.  The  Alcalde 
put  in  a  preferred  claim  of  his  own,  and  besides  he  said  "he  had 
boarded  the  colts."  After  considerable  discussion,  the  Alcalde  was 
ordered  to  turn  the  colts  over  to  the  City  Treasurer  to  be  appraised 
aud  paid  out  on  claims  against  the  city.  In  the  mean  time  it  was 
found  that  two  of  the  colts  had  run  away  and  the  remaining  six  had 
demonetized  the  corn  received  for  flues,  by  eating  it  up — a  contrac- 
tion of  the  currency  that  exceeded  in  heinousness  the  "Crime  of  '73." 
Sixty  years  ago  Los  Angeles  had  but  recently  put  on  city  aira. 
The  supreme  government  of  Mexico  had  decreed  it  the  capital  of 
Caliroruia — a  territory  in  area  larger  than  that  possessed  by  the 
thirteen  colonies  at  the  beginning  of  the  revolutionary  war.  It  was 
then  the  only  city  on  the  Pacific  Coast  north  of  Cape  8t.  Lucas,  and 
WHS  the  largest  town  in  either  of  the  Callfornias,  Jostf  Antonio  Ca- 
rillo  estimated  its  population  at  1500,  and  Job6  Sepulveda  stated  in 
the  AyuDtaniiento  that  the  city  waa  experiencing  a  boom,  or  words 


4»  HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA. 

to  that  effect;  and  yet  with  all  the  city's  Importance  It  vould  have 
been  hard  to  find  a  ciTilized  commnoity  iiTing  in  more  pHmltl-re 
oonditioDB  than  those  which  existed  in  the  metropolis  of  California 
in  the  year  of  oar  Lord  1837.  There  was  not  withio  its  jurisdiction 
a  lawyer  or  a  doctor  nor  a  resident  priest,  or  preacher  of  any  klniS. 
Thi-  schoolmaster  was  abroad,  or  if  he  was  at  borne,  he  had  taken  a 
long  vftcatioii.    The  school  had  hf-en  closed  for  two  years. 

Money  was  almost  nnknown.  Horses  and  cattle  were  the  clr 
enlating  medium  of  large  denomiiintlons,  and  hides  were  the  siib- 
sidtar.v  f.-oin  or  8mallchange;corn  liad  heen  demonetized  by  the  orfrac 
of  '37,  and  doubtless  the  calamity  howlers  of  that  day  were  bewail- 
inji  the  outrage.  There  was  no  hotel  in  the  city,  no  achoolhouse  ana 
no  public  baiidings  except  the  chnrch  and  the  jail ;  no  newnpapcrs,  n» 
bookt*  and  a  mail  bnt  once  a  month. 

How  rapidly  the  wheels  of  progress  have  whirled  in  sixty 
years!  How  men's  minds  have  broadened  and  their  religious  animos- 
ities softened.  On  the  17th  of  January,  1^37,  the  members  of  the 
Ayiintiimiento  of  Los  Angeles,  withont  a  dissenting  Tolce,  promul- 
gated  this  edict  as  part  of  their  plan  of  government: 

'•Arlicif  3^  Tlie  Romnn  C'nrholic  apostolic  religion  shall  pre- 
rail  thronghout  this  jnrisdiction;  and  any  perwon  professing  publicly 
any  nther  religion  i<hi(il  bi.  i-rohecuted."  The  det^ds  uf  Uie  old  Dons 
who  puhlishcil  (hat  edict  win,'  better  than  their  words.  There  i»  no 
record  that  they  ever  prosecnted  any  one  for  his  belief  or  unbelief. 

The  old-time  Regidores  who  legislated  for  the  city  in  its  earner 
days  may  have  been  bnck  nnnihers  in  many  respects,  but  in  one 
thing  at  least  they  were  f»r  in  advance  of  our  up-to-date  Conneilmen 
of  late  years;  and  that  was  in  a  conscientious  i-egard  for  the  t>cat  In- 
terests of  their  constituents.  When  there  was  a  deadlock  in  tlieir 
Council,  or  when  some  question  of  great  importance  to  the  welfare 
of  the  public  came  before  them,  and  they  were  divided  as  to  what 
was  best  to  do,  or  when  some  designing  politician  was  attempting 
to  sway  their  decision  so  ns  to  obtain  personal  gain  at  the  expense 
of  the  community,  then  the  "public  alarm."  aa  it  was  called,  was 
sonnded  .the  citizens  assembled  at  the  Council  Uall.  the  president, 
"spwikiug  in  a  loud  voice,"  stnted  the  question  to  the  people.  Every 
one  bad  a  chance  to  make  a  speech.  Rivers  of  eloquence  flowed;  and 
when  all  w^ho  wished  to  speak  had  had  their  say,  the  question  was 
decided  by  a  show  of  hands,  and  alt  went  home  happy  to'think  the 
country  was  saved  and  that  they  each  and  all.  had  had  something 
to  do  in  saving  it.  The  clang  of  the  bell  or  the  roll  of  the  drum 
that  sounded  the  "public  alarm"  exorcised  the  malign  influence  of 
the  political  boas  and  thwarted  the  machinntlona  of  the  scheming 
politician. 


DON   DAVID  W    ALEXANDER. 


BY    H.    D.    BARKOWS. 


[Read  Jmie,  1897.] 

In  October.  1863,  Mr.  Alexander  recounteO  to  me  the  mum  facta 
of  tbe  following  brief  sketch  of  bis  life.  Qe  said  be  wan  bom  in 
Ireland,  June  22,  1812,  and  tbat  be  came  to  tbe  tJoUed  States  wilfa 
a  brother  in  1832.  wben  be  was  20  ^veurB  old.  He  rpBided  in  Pbila- 
delpliia  Bome  three  or  four  years,  and  frnm  there  he  went  to  Roche- 
port,  Boono  cnunty.  Mo.,  where  he  remained  a  couple  years,  and 
from  thence,  In  1S37.  be  went  with  a  Tnidinjj  company  to  Hanta  Tfi, 
arrivinR  there  jost  after  there  had  been  an  insurrectioa.  in  which 
the  j)eop]e  had  beheaded  Iheir  Governor,  Perez.  He  engaged  in  bnai- 
ness  Ibere  till  1S42  with  John  Scully,  who  was  well  known  in  thai 
coQUtry.  buying  eoodt*  in  Chihuahua  aud  wineH  In  El  Paao  and  sell- 
ing them  at  Santa  F^. 

A  bad  feeling  having  l>e»'n  engeiidernd  against  furelgnere  becauBe 
of  the  aggreesioHB  of  Texans,  Mi-.  Alexander  concluded  to  leave  for 
California,  in  company  with  John  Rowland,  John  Reed,  William 
Knight  (of  Knight'o  Perry,)  Maj.  Coring  (who  afterward  died  at  La 
Puente,  in  thia  county.)  and  other*,  who  came  to  settle  as  rancberosi. 
Not  a  single  member  of  this  party  is  now  living.  Three  of  their 
numl>er,  Rowland.  Reed  and  Alexander,  I  knew  very  well.  Mr. 
Alexander  told  nie  that  they  arrived  at  Cucamonga  on  the  12tb  ot 
December,  1K41.  They  were  four  months  on  the  road  in  their  jour- 
ney hither  from  Santa  Ff^.  They  came  by>what  was  known  as  "the 
old  Mexican  trail,''  via  the  Wnflatch  MountaiuH  and  Tattle  Bait 
Lake,  the  country  along  that  route  being  at  that  time  entirely  nnin- 
habited  except  by  Indians. 

Mr.  Alexander  settled  and  lived  for  some  time  on  "the  Rincon** 
Rancbo,  in  what  is  now  San  Hemardiuo  county.  He  then  went  to 
San  Pedro  and  carried  on  the  forwarding  and  lightering  business  at 
that  port,  from  1844  till  1849,  or  till  after  the  great  gold  dJBcoveries. 
He  then  went  into  the  mercantile  busiuetts  with  Francis  Mellas  ai 
L08  AogeleB.    HiB  firm  brought  out  several  Bbip  cargoes  to  Han  Ve- 


HISTORICAL  SOCtBTY  OF  SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA. 


dro  direct  from  Boston.  During  this  lime  be  formed  a  co-partnerahlp 
Titli  Pbtaefts  Burning  in  the  forwarding  and  commiasioa  businem 
at  Pan  Pi*dro,  continuing  in  Tbe  same  till  135a.  when  he  sold  out  bts 
interest.  {>>niiiicMjore  Htockton.  in  IHW.  apiminted  bim  Collector  of 
the  Port  of  San  Pedro.  At  and  prior  to  that  time  bo  had  held  the 
office  of  Captain  de  la  Pnerte  under  tbe  Mexican  goTemment  for  a 
year  or  two.  In  the  exciting  time*  of  1846  he  stronglj  favored  the 
Americans  and  with  a  number  of  the  latter  he  was  made  a  prisoner 
bjr  the  Califomians  and  held  as  soch  four  months.  The  rancbos  of 
Tejuuga  and  La  Prorideucia  in  this  county  were  finally  oonOrmed 
to  Mr.  .\lexander  by  the  United  States  coarta.  He  was  elected  and 
ser^'ed  as  Hberiff  of  Lo«  Angelea  conntv  for  the  term  of  1855-'56  and 
also  of  1)^C  77.  He  was  three  times  elected  a  member  of  the  Board 
of  Kupi'rTisors.  and  wan  president  of  tbe  board  two  terms.  In  1S56 
or  '57  be  again  became  a  ranrhero,  tiring  on  tbe  San  Emigdio  Bancho 
sereral  years.  His  brother.  George  Alexander,  came  to  California 
via  Honolulu  in  1851.  He  lired  for  a  considerable  period  in  Lot 
Angeles,  and  was  well  and  favorably  known  by  old-timers.  He 
•erred  with  Gen.  Carlton  b  command  in  California,  Arizona  and 
New  Mexico  during  the  civil  war.     He  died  some  years  ago. 

"Don  David  Alexander,"  who  was  so  widely  and  so  favorably 
known,  not  only  by  Americans,  but  by  the  Spanish -apeakiug  people 
of  Kouthi'm  California,  was  a  man  of  sterling  character,  of  amiable, 
genial  temper.  cauHing  him  to  be  generally  resptHrted  and  beiove<L 
All  old  Califomians  still  tiring  who  became  acquainted  with  him  m 
all  intimately  have  only  pleasant  memories  of  bim. 

Don  David  W4s  married  to  Dofia  .Vdalaida  Melius, 
widow  of  l>on  Pancho  (Francis)  Melius,  in  1864.  Mrs.  .Mexander 
was  the  daughter  of  Santiago  Johnson  and  not,  as  incorrectly  stated 
in  Rancroft's  Pioneer  Register,  the  daughter  of  Manuel  Requena. 
Don  Manuel  bad  uu  children.  Uts  wife  and  the  wives  of  Don  San- 
tiago (James)  Johnson,  and  of  Capt.  Alexander  Bell  were  sisters. 
Their  family  name  was  Guirado  and  they  were  sisters  of  Rafael 
Ouirado,  father  of  Gov.  Downey's  first  wife,  and  of  Bernardino  an'l 
R.  C.  Ouirado,  still  living,  and  of  MaJ.  Frank  Ouirado,  now  deceased. 
Mr.  Johnson  had  several  daughters,  one  married,  as  above  stated, 
Prancia  Melius,  and  then  Mr.  Alexander.  She  is  still  living  in  this 
dty.  Another  daughter  married  Henry  Melius,  brother  of  Francis, 
and  at  one  time  Mayor  of  Loe  .Vngeles.  and  for  her  second  husband. 


I 


DON  DAVID  W.  ALEXANDER.  4S 

J.  B.  Tradell;  and  a  third  daughter  married  Jamea  H.  Lander,  in 
early  times  a  prominent  lawyer  of  this  city.  All  these  persons,  with 
the  exceptions  noted,  are  now  dead,  although  they  have  namerons 
living  descendants.  I  was  personally  acquainted  with  nearly  erery 
one  of  the  former  generation. 

Hr.  Alexander  died  at  Wilmington,  April  30,  1887,  in  the  sev- 
enty-fifth year  of  his  age.  Mr8.~Alexander  possess  a  very  life- 
like portrait  of  him,  which  all  "old-timers"  who  snrrive  him  cannot 
fail,  on  sight,  to  qaickly  recognize. 


4S 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OP  SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA. 


teufirth  aod  cost  of  bailding  this  bridge,  as  noted  before.  He  fur- 
ther saj-a: 

"In  the  photograph  sent  you,  yoa  will  observe  something  resem- 
bling a  platform  near  the  center  of  the  bridge.  Tbis  photograph 
was  taken  before  the  bridge  was  completed  and  the  platform  is  what 
the  bnilders  called  'the  traveler.'  This  'traveler'  went  ahead  of  the 
work,  c&rrjing  material  for  the  cooetrtictiOD  of  the  bridge,  and  para- 
doxical as  it  maj  appear,  the  bridge  was  built  l>ebind  the  'traveler.' 
Two  iron  rails  extended  bejond  the  work  upon  which  the  wheels  of 
the  'traveler'  rolled,  and  thne  it  was  that  the  'traveler'  was  enabled 
to  precede  the  bridge  itself. 

"The  building  of  these  bridges  Ih  usually  very  perilous  work  and 
the  principal  workmen  are  experts.  Indeed,  to  one  watching  tbe 
progresfi  of  building,  it  appears  a  trade  In  Itself.  The  management 
Informed  me  that  they  usually  lost  from  eight  to  twelve  men  in  the 
construction  of  a  bridge,  bnt  in  the  building  of  this  bridge  there 
were  but  three  killed.  One  was  blown  up  by  a  premature  blast  of 
rock,  one  had  a  hand  ear  of  heavy  iron  topple  over  and  crush  him, 
and  tbe  third  fell  from  the  top  of  the  bridge  to  tbe  ground  on  the 
California  side  just  after  the  work  was  began. 

"Boats  teteamers)  pass  nnder  the  bridge  now  during  the  high 
water  season  without  any  difDculty,  and  the  expense  of  a  draw 
bridge,  which  was  a  necessity  with  tbe  old  bridge,  is  entirely  done 
away  with." 

Ib  it  any  wonder  that  Arizonans  and  Califomians  join  in  calling 
the  link  that  connects  the  Territory  and  the  State  "the  great  canti- 
lever bridge?"  It  was  an  evolution  in  bridge  building  that  no  one 
could  have  coutemplattHJ  a  quarter  of  a  century  ago. 


THE  CANTILEVER  SRTDOB  OF  THE  COLORADO. 


The  first  cantilever  bridge  ballt  in  the  United  States  wae  the 
Niagara  bridge,  built  in  188.1,  at  that  time  it  was  the  firet  of  any 
magnitndp  In  the  world,  the  Pirth  of  Forth  bridge  not  having  b««u 
built.  It  wae  considered  a  marked  advance  in  engiueering.  It  may 
seem  paradoxical,  but  the  principle  of  tlie  cantilerer  bridge  is  fonnd 
in  the  simplest  and  ear1ii.-8t  forrun  of  bridj^  building.  Chambers'  En- 
cjclupodia  tmys  the  Japauese  "would  lay  two  balka  of  timber  embed- 
ding one  in  one  bank  and  the  other  in  the  other  bank,  with  their 
ends  projecting  over  the  stream  bo  as  to  form  two  cantilpvers,  and 
would  then  arid  a  center  balk,  reaching  from  one  to  the  other;*'  and 
that  a  good  bridge  of  this  kind  was  built  Id  Japan  over  "two  ban- 
dred  years  ago."  So  mnch  for  the  simple  form  or  principle  of  tlie 
caDttlever.    The  term  itself  is  deflnr-d  as  meaning  a  "bracket.*' 

The  long  span  of  the  present  system  of  cantilever,  iiJtiBtrated 
in  tile  Niagara  bridge,  baviug  a  total  letij^h  of  910  feet,  with  its  sm- 
gle  span  of  470  feet — according  to  the  Scientific  American — was  OKt 
rivaled  by  tbe  cautilever  bridge  of  the  Colorado,  whose  span,  as  uua 
be*'n  noted,  was  660  feet. 

There  are  other  cantilever  bridges  in  the  United  States,  one 
crosses  the  Hudson  at  Ponghkeepsie,  N.  Y.;  one  crosses  the  Ohio  at 
Lousville,,  Ky. 

Dr.  James  P.  Booth,  whom  1  have  mentioned  as  surgeon  of  the 
Bridge  Company,  has  very  kindly  furnished  uie  wtth  data  oo  this 
subject.  In  a  letter  he  says:  "On  account  of  the  unsafe  condition  of 
the  wooden  bridge,  which  spanned  the  Colorado  throe  miles  directly 
east  from  tbe  towu  of  the  Needles,  it  was  resolved  by  the  A.  aniTP. 
Company  to  construct  an  iron  bridge  ten  miles  {thirteen  miiew  froc 
the  Needles)  further  down  the  stream.  This  work  was  begun  in 
September,  1889,  and  tbe  first  train  crossed  tbe  bridge  on  May  10. 
1890. 

"The  preliminary  work  consiHted  in  Blnking  down  to  bed  rock, 
which  was  done  by  raisaons,  and  building  up  above  the  point  of  hlgb- 
vater  mark  on  both  sides  of  and  in  the  river,  two  huge  pillars  of 
stone  and  cement.  This  work  was  done  by  Sooy,  Smith  &  Co.  of  Chi- 
cago. The  ends  of  the  iron  bridge  are  securely  anchored  by  heavy 
masonry  to  (be  uuuulund  on  either  side^  while  the  greatest  portion 
of  tlie  weight  is  thus  brought  to  bear  upon  tbe  two  pillars.  The 
bridge — that  is,  the  iron  work —  was  built  and  put  up  by  the  Fhceuix 
Bridge  Company  of  Phcnnix,  Fa.,  and  is  said  to  be  n:ie  of  the  finest 
and  most  substantial  bridges  in  the  world."    Dr.  Booth  gives  tlie 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHBftS  CALIFORNIA. 


the  Van  Nutr  IlMel,  on  the  Downey  property,  west  side  oC  Main" 
Btreet  ntar  Fourth  street.  It  waa  considered  in  early 
daya  qnite  an  aristocratic  reaidence.  Adobe  aa  a  bnild 
ing  material  coDtinued  to  be  uved  to  a  ttmited  extent  for 
■t  Uniiit  a  det-ade  after  the  American  oonqueAt.  It  fell 
Into  disnse,  not  because  tt  was  expensive  or  becanse  it  waa  nnsntted 
to  the  t'limate — an  adobe  boose,  well  coostracled,  is  one  of  the  moat 
comfortable  of  dwellings,  wami  in  winter,  cool  in  Bummer.  It  fell 
into  disuse  because  the  process  of  preparing  and  building  with  it  was 
too  tedious  and  too  slow  for  a  fast  age.  An  adobe  house,  like  Home, 
waa  not  built  in  a  day.  It  took  five  years  to  build  the  Plaza  Charctt. 
Havjug  briefly  sketched  the  transition  period  of  our  city's  growth, 
when  wood  and  brick  came  into  use  as  building  material,  I  turn  tiacfe 
to  my  theme,  rhe  adobe  age  of  the  old  pueblo. 

A  century  ago  Loe  Angelt^B  waa  a  walled  town — its  walls,  lilie 
those  of  Rome  in  Romulus's  day,  were  bnllt  of  clay.  A  gaard  of  the 
Eing's  soldiers  nightly  kept  watch  and  ward  over  the  sleeping  town. 
Every  male  inhabitant  of  military  age  was  enrolled  for  duty.  Tbtr 
Indians  were  numerous  and  predatory,  if  not  blood-thirsty.  Fifty 
years  after  the  first  settlement  Indian  scares  still  continued,  and  a 
guard  was  kept  on  duty  at  the  cuartel  that  stood  on  tlie  eastern  ^de 
of  the  plaza  vieja.  By  the  beginning  of  the  present  century  the 
town  had  grown  beyond  the  walls.  As  it  grew,  it  straggled  off  from 
its  nucleus — the  old  plaza — in  an  irregular  sort  of  a  way,  without 
plot  or  plan. 

When  a  new  house  was  needed—and  a  house  was  not  bnllt  in 
those  days  until  there  was  urgent  need  for  it — the  builder  selected 
a  site  and  applied  to  the  Ayuntamiento  for  a  grant  of  a  piece  of  the 
pueblo  lands.  If  no  one  claimed  the  lot  asked  for,  he  was  granted  it. 
If  he  did  not  boild  a  house  on  it  within  a  given  time — usually  a  year 
from  the  time  the  grant  was  made — any  citizen  could  denounce  the 
property,  and  with  permission  of  the  .Ayuntamiento  take  possession 
of  it.  The  builder  of  a  new  house  built  it  wherever  it  waa  most  con- 
venient to  him  without  regard  to  streets,  if  the  bouse  did  not  align 
with  the  street  the  street  could  adjust  itself  to  the  house.  Half  a 
century  after  the  founding  of  the  pueblo,  here  was  not  a  regularly- 
laidout  street  within  its  limits.  In  1S49,  when  Lieut.  Ord  made  his 
plan  of  the  "Oiudad  de  Loe  Angeles,"  some  of  the  houses  stood  in  the 
middle  of  the  newlyluid  off  streets  and  others  half  way  between  two 
slreeta,  with  a  frontage  on  neither.    After  much  tribulation  in  try- 


I 


LOU  ANOELBS  IN  THE  ADOBE  AGS 


iDg  to  adjuHt  street  liDee  aud  projiertj  lines,  the  Cit^r  Council,  in 
1854,  paased  an  ordinance  allowiuf;  the  owners  of  hoiisett  debarred  of 
street  frontage  to  take  possepsion  of  the  land  between  them  and  the 
neareitt  street. 

The  architecture  of  the  adobe  age  had  no  freaks  or  fada  in  it. 
Like  the  laws  of  the  Medes  and  Persians,  it  altered  not.  Then>  was, 
with  but  very  few  exceptions,  bnt  one  style  of  bouse — the  aqnare- 
walled,  fiat-roofed,  one-story  strnetiire — looking,  as  a  writer  of  early 
times  says,  '^ike  so  many  brick  kilos  ready  for  the  burning."  Al- 
thongh  there  were  picturesque  homeB  in  California  nnder  the  Mexi- 
can ri^gime,  and  the  qaaint  mission  bnildings  of  the  Spanish  era  were 
massive  and  imposing,  yet  the  average  town  house  of  the  native  Call- 
foroian.  with  its  clay-colored  adobe  walls,  its  fiat  asphal  turn -covered 
roof,  its  ground  floor  and  its  iron-barred  windows,  was  us  devoid  of 
beauty  without  as  it  was  of  comfort  aud  couveuieuee  within.  Imagi- 
nalive  modern  writers  speak  of  the  "quaint  tiled  roofs  of  old  Los 
Angeles,"  as  if  they  were  a  prominent  feature  of  the  old  pneblo. 

Even  in  the  palmiest  days  of  its  Mexican  occnpatlon  tiled  roofa 
were  the  exception.  Beside*  the  church  and  the  cuarrel  the  other 
bnildings  that  obtained  distinction  of  being  roofed  with  tiles  were 
the  CarilJo  House,  that  stood  ou  the  present  site  of  the  Pico  House; 
the  house  erected  by  Joh^  Maria  Avila  on  Main  street  north  of  (he 
cbnrcb;  Don  Vicente  Sancht^z's  house,  a  two-story  adobe  on  the  east 
aide  of  the  Plaza;  the  Alvarado  house,  on  First  street  between  Main 
and  I>08  Angeles  streets,  and  the  bouse  of  Antonio  Kochn,  on  the 
present  site  of  the  Phillips  Block.  All  these  residences  were  erected 
between  lS212und  1^28.  The  old  cuartel  (guardhouse)  was  built  about 
1790,  and  the  Plaza  Church  was  begun  in  1818.  At  the  time  of  the 
American  conquest  of  California  tile-making  was  practically  a  lost 
art.  It  died  out  with  the  decadence  of  the  missions,  it  is  to  be  re- 
gretted that  the  til^-d  roof  of  the  Chnrch  of  Our  Lady  of  the  AngelR 
was  replaced  by  a  shingled  one  when  the  building  was  remodeled  la 
1861.  "The  fitness  of  things"  was  violated  when  the  change  was 
made.  It  was  only  the  aristocrats  of  the  old  pueblo  who  could  af- 
ford to  indulge  in  tiled  roofs.  The  prevailing  roofing  material  was 
brea  or  crude  asphaltum. 

James  O.  Pattie,  a  Kentucky  trapper,  who  visited  Los  Angeles 
in  1828,  and  wrote  a  narrative  of  bis  adventures  in  Califoruui,  tbu" 
describes  the  buildings  in  it  and  the  manner  of  rooflnj;  them: 

"The  houses  have  flat  roofs,  covered    with    bituminous    pitch 


HISTOKJCAL  SOCiETY  OF  SOOTHBXN  CALIFORNIA. 


broaght  from  a  place  within  fonr  milet  of  the  town,  where  thiB  arti- 
cle boils  np  from  the  earth.  As  the  liqaid  riMt,  hollow  babble*  tike 
a  sbelJ  of  lar^  aiu  are  formed.  When  the^  burst  the  Doiae  la  beard 
diittinctly  in  the  town.  The  large  pieces  thus  separated  are  laid  on 
the  roof,  preriouHly  covered  with  earth,  thronph  which  the  pitch  can- 
not penetrate  when  it  is  rt-ndered  tii^aid  again  bj  the  heat  of  the  soar' 

This  roof  factory  that  Pattie  describes  seems  to  hare  oe«Md 
operatloDS  of  laie  ^ears;  possibly  becanse  there  Is  do  demand  for  its 
product.  This  incipient  rolcano  was  still  in  operatiou  when  Fre- 
mont's battAlioo  passed  it  in  1^7.  Lieut.  Bryaat,  in  his  book. 
"What  I  Saw  in  Califtirnia/'  aaya  "on  the  march  from  Cahnenga 
Pass  to  the  City  of  Angels  we  passed  sereral  warm  aprings  which 
throw  ap  large  quantities  of  bitnmen  or  mineral  tar."  These  springs 
are  located  on  the  Hancock  Rancho  west  of  the  city. 

The  adobe  age  Vfta  Dot  an  aesthetic  age.  The  old  pneblo  was 
honiely  almost  to  nglinesa.  The  clay  colored  fronts  of  the  hoases 
that  marked  the  linOK  of  the  irregular  streets  were  gloomy  and  unin- 
riling.  There  was  no  glass  in  the  windows;  no  lawn^  in  front;  no 
HidewalkB.  and  no  shade  trees.  Bnt  even  amid  these  homely  sur 
foundings  there  were  aesthetic  souls  that  dn^med  dreams  of  beanty 
and  yearned  for  better  things.  The  famous  speech  of  Regidor 
Leonardo  Cota,  delivered  in  the  Ayuntamiento  nearly  sixty  years 
ago,  has  come  down  to  us  in  its  entirety,  and  stamps  its  author  as  a 
man  (n  advance  of  the  age  in  which  he  lived.  It  has  in  it  the  hope- 
fulness of  boom  literature,  although  somewhat  saddened  by  the 
gloom  of  uncongenial  suronndjngs. 

"The  time  has  arrived,"  said  he,  "when  the  city  of  Los  Angeles 
begins  to  figure  in  the  political  world,  as  it  now  finds  itself  the  capi- 
tal of  the  department.  Now  to  complete  the  necessary  work  that, 
although  it  is  but  a  small  town,  it  should  proceed  to  show  its  beauty, 
its  splendor  and  its  magnificence  in  such  a  manner  that  when  the 
traveler  visits  us  he  may  say.  'I  have  seen  the  City  of  the  Angels;  I 
have  seen  the  work  of  its  sanitary  commission,  and  all  these  demon- 
Btrate  that  it  is  a  Mexican  Paradise.'  It  is  not  so  under  the  present 
(onditions,  for  the  majority  of  its  buildiugH  present  a  gloomy — a 
melancholy  aspect,  a  dark  and  forbidding  aspect,  that  resembles 
the  catacombs  of  ancient  Rome  more  than  the  habitations  of  a  free 
people,  I  make  these  propositions:  First,  that  the  government  be 
requested  to  enact  meaaores  so  that  within  four  months  all  the  house- 
fronts  shall  be  plastered  and  whitewashed;  second,  that  all  owners 


LOS  ANGELES  IN  THE  ADOBE  AGE. 


5S 


!ie  requested  to  rt- pair  the  same  or  open  the  door  for  the  denncriator. 
If  .vou  adopt  and  enforce  these  meamireg,  I  shall  feel  that  1  have  done 
soinethint!  for  m.v  city  and  mj  country." 

Don  Leonardo's  eloquent  appeal  moved  the  department  aesembly 
to  pa«B  a  law  requiring  the  plastering  and  whitewashing  of  the 
house  fronts,  under  penalty  of  fines  ranging  from  95  to  9*25  if  the 
work  wua  not  done  within  u  given  time.  For  a  while  there  was  a 
whitening  of  houaefrontB  and  a  brightening  of  interiors.  The  sin- 
dieo's  nrcount-book  in  tho  old  archives  contains  a  charge  of  twelve 
reales  for  a  fanega  {one  and  one-half  bushels)  of  lime  "to  whitewash 
the  court."  Although  lime  Is  cheaper  now,  I  doubt  whether  twelve 
reales'  worth  of  it  would  give  a  coat  of  whitewash  to  some  city  of- 
ficials. 

Don  I^onardo's  dream  of  transforming  the  "City  of  the  .\aigel8" 
Into  a  Mexican  paradise  was  never  realized.  The  fines  were  never 
ootlected.  The  whitewash  faded  from  the  house-fronts  and  was  not 
renewed.    The  old  pueblo  again  took  on  the  gloom  of  the  Catacombs. 

In  the  adobe  age  every  man  owned  his  own  house.  No  houses 
were  built  for  rent,  nor  for  sale  on  epecolation.  The  real  estate  agent 
was  unknown.  ^Tien  travelers  or  strangers  from  other  towns  paid 
a  visit  to  the  old  pueblo  they  were  entertained  at  private  houses,  or 
if  no  one  opened  bis  doors  to  them  they  moved  on  to  the  nearest  ml»- 
eion,  where  they  were  sarc  of  a  night's  lodging. 

In  1834,  Gov.  Figoeroa  notified  the  Ayuntamicnto  that  he  waa 
abont  to  visit  the  pueblo  and  desired  accommodations  for  himself 
and  BfalT.  The  town  <'ouneil  asked  the  priest  to  give  up  hia  house 
to  the  Governor,  but  the  padre  refused,  saying  that  his  rooms  be- 
longed to  the  church,  and  to  surrender  them  to  the  civil  power  would 
be  giving  up  his  eecleBinstical  rights.  Bo  the  Governor  gave  np  hia 
projected  visit  because  the  town  was  too  poor  to  entertain  him. 
Notwithstanding  the  technical  point  nrged  by  the  padre,  the  civil 
power  did  make  nse  of  his  house.  When  there  was  no  resident 
priest  in  the  pueblo,  which  frequently  happened,  the  padre's  house 
was  put  to  a  variety  of  uses.  Several  times  it  waa  used  for  a  boys' 
school;  once  for  a  girls*  school,  and  after  a  revolution,  if  the  cuartel 
was  not  large  enough  to  accommodate  all  the  prisoners,  the  curate's 
house  was  taken  for  a  juil.  During  the  revolution  of  1845  the  school 
was  turned  out  and  the  old  house  was  used  by  Pico  and  Castro  for 
army  headquarters.    This  useful  old  building,  which  stood  near  the 


54 


MISTORiCAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  CAUFORNtA, 


northwest  corner  of  the  Flaxa  church,  was  burned  down  about  forty 
jreara  a^o. 

In  1833  the  Mexican  Congress  proclaimed  Los  Augeles  the  capi- 
tal of  Alta  California.  Coininissionere  were  appointed  to  find  snita- 
ble  quarters  for  povernment  offices  until  a  government  house  conld 
lie  built.  Don  Louis  Vigufs's  bouse,  which  stood  on  the  present 
aite  of  the  Philadelphia  Brewory.  was  offered  at  a  yearly  rental  of 
|4IH).  Don  Juan  Temple's  house  later  on,,  was  also  offered.  During 
the  ten  years  that  the  capital  question  was  agitated,  periodical  bouse 
bunts  were  made  for  govemmeulal  headquarters,  but  nothing  came 
■of  them.  The  people  of  Monterey  held  ou  to  the  governors  and  the 
jircfaives  and  added  insult  to  injury  by  claiming  that  they  were  more 
moral  and  more  cultunid  than  the  Angelefios.  They  claimed  they 
had  a  fertile  soil,  a  mild  climate  and  that  their  women  and  useful 
animals  were  very  produrti%*e — insinuations  that  enraged  the  An- 
gelefioB.  The  bitter  feeling  engendered  between  the  arribefioB  (up- 
pers) of  the  >'orth  and  the  abajeflios  (lowers)  of  the  South  over  the 
capital  question  was  the  begtnniug  of  the  jealousy  between  Northern 
and  tjoutbern  California — a,  j&alousy  that  has  been  kept  alive  for 
more  than  sixty  years.  The  capital  question  was  the  pricipal  cause 
of  the  civil  war  between  the  North  and  the  South  in  1837 — a  war 
which  resulted  in  the  subjugation  of  the  8outh  and  the  triumph  of 
Montei*ey.  It  was  not  a  very  bloody  war.  At  the  battle  of  San 
Buenaventura,  where  for  two  days  cannon  "volley'd  and  thunder'd," 
one  man  was  killed  on  the  northern  side.  At  the  battle  of  Las  Flores 
the  southern  army  was  severely  scared,  driven  into  a  cattle  corral 
and  captured — probably  lassoed.  In  the  revolution  of  1845  the  aim- 
jeFios  won.  At  the  battle  of  Cahuenga — a  battle  that  raged  for  two 
days,  and  resulted  in  the  killing  of  a  mule — Pico  and  Carillo  of 
the  South  defeated  Mlcheltorejia  of  the  North.  The  decisive  battle 
of  Cahuenga  made  Pico  Governor  of  California  and  Los  Angeles  ita 
capital.  Next  year  the  gringo  army  eame,  captured  the  country  and 
carried  the  capital  back  to  Monterey. 

AVhile  Los  .Vngeli^  was  the  capital,  the  government  house  was 
an  adobe  bnilding  that  stood  on  the  present  afte  of  the  St.  Charles 
HoteL  It  was  used  in  1847  by  two  companies  of  the  United  Btates 
Dragoons  as  barracks,  and  when  the  county  was  organized  in  1850 
it  became  the  lirst  courthouse.  The  lot  extended  through  to  Loe 
Angeles  street.     In  an  adobe  building  on  the  rear  of  tills  lot  the  first 


ftES'  TS  THE  ADOBE  AOE. 


W 


newttpaper — La  Estrelln  (The  Star) — ever  Isntied  in  Los  Angeloa  was 
printed. 

Tlie  old  adobe  goveruiuent  house  bad  rather  an  eventful  hlatory. 
It  was  built  in  the  earl^  thirtieH.  Pico  bought  it  for  the  government 
from  Iflonr  WillinniB,  agreeing  to  pay  $5000  for  it.  In  1846,  when 
\ho8fiil1ies  had  hrrtken  out  between  the  Americana  and  the  native 
Oaltfornians  In  the  North,  Pico.  *'to  meet  urgent  expenaee  necessary 
to  be  made  by  the  fc'overntnenl,"  mortgagr'd  the  hou«e  and  lot  to 
Kutogio  de  Celis  for  |2000,  "whieh  sum  shall  be  paid  as  soon  as  order 
shall  be  eatabtjshed  in  the  department."  The  gringo  invaders  came 
down  to  Los  Angeles  shortly  after  the  mortgage  was  made,  and  Pico 
fled.  Several  year«  after  peace  was  restored  Celia  began  suit 
against  Wilson,  Packard  and  Pico  to  foreclose  the  mortgage.  The 
inortgage  was  satisfied,  but  through  some  strange  oversight  the  case 
was  not  dismissed.  It  was  n  cluud  on  the  title  of  the  pi'operty,  and 
nearly  fifty  years  after  the  suit  was  begun  it  was  brought  up  in  .fudge 
York's  court  and  dismissed  on  the  sliowlug  that  the  issues  that  gave 
It  existence  had  long  since  been  settled. 

It  was  in  the  old  government  house  that  Lieat.  Qillespie  and  his 
gnrrison  were  stationed  when  the  Oallfomiana,  under  Varela  and 
Flores,  revolted.  An  attack  was  made  on  Gillespie's  force  on  the 
Digbt  of  September  22,  1846,  by  a  party  of  Califomians  numt>eriDK 
abont  sixty  men.  Gillespie's  riflemen  drove  them  off,  killing  thr«e 
of  the  assailants,  so  he  claimed.  But  the  dead  were  never  found. 
Gillespie  was  compelled  to  abaudou  the  government  house  and  take 
position  ou  Fort  Hill.  After  a  siege  of  five  days  he  was  forced  to 
evacuate  Lhe  city. 

From  its  proud  position  as  the  Capitol  of  California,  this  historic 
oM  adobe  descended  in  the  scale  of  respectability  until  it  ended  its 
eventful  career  as  n  barroom.  W'ithin  it  were  enacted  some  of  the 
bloodiest  tragedies  of  the  early  Qflies. 


Two  Notable  Ploneers-6ol.  J.  J.  flyers  and  Geo.  Hansen. 


BV    B.    D.    8AKR0WS. 


[Read  December  6,  1897.] 

It  is  QttiDg  that  tfaii  society  should  take  some  notice  of  the 
death  of  pminont  citizens,  and  especially  of  pioneers,  who,  on  any 
llnee,  have  helped  to  huiirt  our  coiimionwealth.  Two  such  citi&ens 
and  pioneenf  have  passed  away,  their  deaths  having  occurred  withli* 
two  days  of  each  other. 

George  Hansen  and  Col.  James  J.  Ayers,  who  died  in  this  county 
last  month,  lived  llres  (mostly  in  California)  of  great  practical  use- 
fulnesB.  the  one  as  a.  civil  enginet^r  and  land  surveyor,  and  the  other 
as  a  journalist  and  litterateur,  each  attaining  eminence  of  the  higher 
sort  in  bis  chosen  profession. 

Having  known  both  these  gentlemen  many  ypar9,andlatterlyqaite 
intimately,  I  feel  it  a  dnty,  as  well  ha  a  pleasure,  to  add  to  the  rec- 
ords of  our  Hiotorical  Society  my  hnmble,  sincere  tribute  to  their 
memory. 

I  doubt  if  our  citizens  generally  have  any  adequate  conception 
of  their  obligations  to  Mr.  Hansen  or  to  Col.  Ayers,  or,  rather,  of  the 
extent  to  which  the  former  impressed  his  influence  on  the  lines  and 
configuration  of  the  lots  on  which  their  homes  are  built,  or  of  the 
faiTiiB  and  orchards  which  they  cultivate,  or  of  the  rauchos  in  which 
their  capital  is  invested,  or  the  extent  of  the  influence  which  James 
J.  Ayers  has  exerted  on  the  material  and  moral  welfare  of  this  com- 
munity, this  State  and  thlu  Coast,  since  his  coming  hither  nearly  half 
a  century  ago. 

A  bare  skeleton  outline  of  the  lives  of  our  departed  friends  may 
be  told  in  few  words. 

Mr.  Hansen  was  a  native  of  Fiume,  Austria,  where  he  was  born 
in  1824.  He  came  to  California  via  Cui^e  Horn  and  Peru  in  1850,  and 
to  Los  Angeles  in  1853,  since  when  his  home  was  here  till  his  death, 
which  occurred  November  10,  1897. 

Col.  Ayern  was  born  hi  Glasgow.  Scotland,  August  27,  1.^30.     Ills 
parents  immigrated  to  the  United  states  when  he  was  an  infant.    His 


TWO  NOTABLE  PI0NBBR3. 


tf 


boyhood  waa  Bpent  in  New  York,  where  he  learned  the  prlntew 
trade  and  alun  ar()nir(Hl  a  knowledge  of  the  French  language.  After 
spending  a  ^vear  in  St.  Lonis.  lie  started  in  Febniarj,  1849.  for  Oalt- 
fnrnia,  by  way  of  New  Orleaim  and  Hondtiraa.  arriving  at  San 
FranciBfO  after  a  long,  perilouB  jonmey  of  appalling  hardsliips,  in 
October  of  that  year.  After  a  varied  and  eventful  career  in  Central 
California,  Nevada  and  the  Sandwich  Islnnds,  he  canir>  to  Loa  An- 
geles in  1872.  ne  died  at  bis  home  at  A«niia  in  this  county,  Novem- 
ber 12, 1897. 

A  record  In  detail  of  the  lives  of  these  two  notable  men  would 
till  a  boolc  Nevertbeletis  1  will  try  to  condense,  in  this  paper,  a 
few  facto  concerning  each  of  them. 

To  those  who  can  rightly  interpret  them,  the  records  of  land 
titles  of  LoM  Angeles  county  perhaps  best  tell  the  story  of  Mr.  Han- 
sen's long  nnd  useful  life.  ITp  probably  made  more  land  sarveya  In 
this  and  adjoining  roiintieB  than  any  other  person.  His  niai>B  are 
flelii  notes,  of  early  surveys  esperially,  are  eitrnsive  and  exiremelj 
valuable.  .And  if,  from  any  calamity,  by  fire  or  other  cause,  the 
county  records  should  be  lost  or  destroyed,  they  could  be  reproduced, 
more  nearly  complete,  from  the  private  papers  and  maps  which  be 
left  at  bis  death  containing  records  of  bis  surveys,  than  from  any 
other  source. 

Not  only  was  Mr.  Hansen  a  man  of  great  iulcllcctual  ability  and 
an  accomplished  civil  engineer,  but  be  waa  very  methodical  in  Ms 
habits  and  possessed  a  sound  judgment. 

When  he  first  came  to  Los  Angeles  from  the  mines,  in  1863, 
mostly  without  means,  he  told  me  that  he  went  to  .John  Temple, 
then  one  of  the  moneyed  men  here,  and,  though  a  stranger  nnd  a 
newcomer,  asked  for  the  loan  of  1100  with  which  to  purchase  aor- 
veying  tools.  Mr  Temple,  who  was  a  shrewd  business  man,  and 
himself  a  large  land  owner,  and  knowing  that  there  was  pleuty  of 
work  to  do  here  for  a  competent  surveyor,  asked  liiin  if  that  was  his 
profession,  etc.,  and  then  readily  loaned  him  the  money  on  his  sim- 
pb-  note,  without  security,  at  2  per  cent,  a  month,  a  very  moderate 
rate  for  that  period. 

After  sending  to  San  £*raiicisco  for  his  needed  surveyor's  outfit 
be  went  to  work,  and  for  years  bis  professional  Iservices  were 
almost  constantly  iu  demand. 

Mr.  Hansen  laid  out  Anaheim,  the  pioneer  colony,  in  1857,  and 
planted  and  superintended  the  cultivation  of  the  fifty  twenty-acre 


58 


ffTSTOft/CAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA. 


Tincjrards  and  orchards  of  the  owners,  of  whom  he  was  one.  I  re- 
member that  I  snpplind  him  some  80  M  grape  ruMings,  in  the  win 
ter  of  *5S^0,  which  I  obtaftiod  from  the  Tineyarda  of  Mr.  William 
Wolfskin,  and  that  I  rode  in  a  bn]7K7  with  Joha  FrobliDg  In  tne 
spiing  of  '09.  from  Los  Angeles  to  the  new  colony,  bj  way  of  Work- 
man's and  Itowland's,  and  that  we  staid  one  night  aa  the  gue«ts  of 
Mr.  Hansen.  This  was  the  rommencement  of  my  intimate  acquatn- 
tnnre  with  him,  which  8nt>si8ted  thereafter  till  his  death.  Mr.  Han- 
Ben  prai'tirally  had  charge,  nnder  Maj.  Henry  Hancock,  of  the  sec- 
ond oRlcial  sorvey  of  this  city  known  as  "Hancock's  snrvcy."  He 
snrveyed  many  of  the  large  ranchos  of  thin,  and  I  believe,  San  Ber- 
nardino connties. 

He  once  argued  with  me.  half  humorously  and  half  in  earnest,  Id 
faTor  of  the  proposition  that  sarveyorB  were  more  nsefnl  to  socleTy 
than  preachers,  aa  promoters  of  peace  especially,  because  thoy  were 
able  often  in  de6ning  boundary  lines  between  conflicting  claimunis, 
to  harmonize  opposing  views  or  illy-deflned  titlea  like  tnose  Jerivet 
from  Rpnnish  and  Mexican  grants,  and  thereby  avert  or  minimite  lit- 
igation between  neighbors. 

After  the  establishment  of  "Drum  Barracks"  at  Wilmington  in 
this  county  during  the  civil  war.  it  became  necesBorr,  in  bringing  wa- 
ter from  the  Ban  Gabriel  River,  to  bnild  a  flume  several  miles 
long  to  convey  the  water  across  the  extensive  depression 
between  the  Domingnez  homestead  range  of  bills  and 
Wilmington,  and  Mr.  Hansen  waa  employed  to  superintend  the  coo- 
Btrnction  of  the  work.  After  sarveying  the  gronnd  over  which  the 
flume  was  to  run.  he  laid  out  in  his  office  the  work  of  construction. 
An  immense  quantity  of  lumber  was  ordered,  and  a  very  large  force 
of  men,  including  many  soldien*  from  the  barracks,  were  put  to,woidt 
on  the  lumber  to  get  It  ready  to  set  up;  bat  none  of  it  was  actnallj 
set  up  till  a  considerable  portion  of  it  was  prepared  to  go  into  the 
flume,  and  as  the  work  progressed  Ool.  Curtiss,  Uen.  Bauuing  and 
others  became  anxious  lest  the  vast  piles  of  timlwr  already  fitted  to 
|o  together  shuuld  fail  to  fit  the  places  assigned  them,  or  the  un- 
equal and  irregular  depression  of  the  land  over  which  the  big  flame 
must  necessarily  pass,  the  depression  in  some  places  being  twenty 
feet  or  more.  And  they  therefore  begged  Mr.  Hansen  to  have  the 
workmen  stop  getting  out  any  more  lumber  till  it  was  known 
whether  that  already  prepared  would  actually  fit  together.  And 
80  finally  he  consented  to  this  to  please  them;  and  as  everything 


TWO  NOTABLE  PIONEERS. 


» 


went  together,  a«  he  knew  it  would,  like  a  well-deriBed  piece  of  mecb- 
anism.  their  faitli  thereafter  in  the  skill  and  judgment  of  Mr.  Han- 
sen act  an  engineer  and  matbematieian  was  unbounded.  At  one  time 
Mr.  Hansen  and  myself  were  appointed  appraiserB  of  an  estate.  Id 
which  a  person  (a  mother)  had  only  a  life  interest,  and  ae,  according 
to  standard  life  insurance  tables  she  had  probabiUtiea  of  thirty  odd 
years  of  life,  it  became  necessary  for  us  to  compute  what  the  valne 
of  the  estate  wonid  amount  to  at,  say.  3  per  cent,  interest,  com* 
pounded  annually — a  somewhat  formidable  problem  according  to 
ordinary  arithmetical  methods.  Mr.  Hansen  suggested  that  it  be 
solved  by  logarithms^ which  I  had  not  thought  of — and  Htmigbtway 
he  figured  out  the  proper  solution  almost  instantly. 

The  Canal  and  Reaervoir  (*ompnny  of  this  city  was,  I  believe, 
originateil  and  Ub  extensive  workB  were  engineered  by  Mr.  Hunsen, 
wTio  also  donated  to  the  company  the  land  needed  for  its  ditches, 
reservoirB.  etc.  It  was  he,  who,  when  the  city  lands  were  surveyed, 
insisted,  against  much  opposition  at  the  time,  on  reserving  the  400 
or  500  acres  north  of  the  city  now  constituting  our  uiugnificeui  Ely- 
tian  Park,  for  public  uses.  One  object  which  be  especially  bad  io 
Tiew  was  that  all  citizens,  rich  and  poor  alike,  could  freely  go  ther*- 
and  take  ont  stone  for  hnilding  or  other  purposes,  for  at  that  perloa, 
before  the  advent  of  railroads,  building  stone  within  reAch  of  the 
city  was  scarce. 

In  the  early  'SO*b,  Mr  Hansen,  I^eonardo  Cota  and  the  writer 
HCrred  aa  commisBloners  to  partition  the  big  San  Pedro  or  Manuel 
Domlnguez  Kancho  of  25.000  acri^n.  which  Included  Kuttlesuake  or 
Terminal  Island,  with  its  frontage  on  8nn  Pedro  Harbor,  and  also 
the  site  of  the  present  town  of  Redondo  with  its  deep-sea  waterfroui. 
As  the  rancho  extended  from  the  San  Gabriel  River  to  the  "salt 
works"  (RedoDdo)  a  distance  of  about  eleven  miles,  we  had  an  op- 
portunity, in  riding  nights  and  mornings  to  and  from  the  distant 
portions  of  the  raucho,  to  discuss  almost  every  conceivable  subject 
that  could  interest  the  human  mind.  And  a  free  discussion  of  phil- 
osophy, morals,  sociology,  economicR,  final  causes,  etc.,  with  a  pro- 
found philosopher  and  thinker  like  George  Hansen,  could  not  'o~^ 
prove  edifying  to  any  one  who  cared  at  all  to  get  at  the  true  tbeory 
of  things. 

Mr.  Hansen  was  an  omniverous  reader  In  three  languages,  Qer- 
man,  English  and  French.  He  Lad  also  an  intimate  acquaintance 
with  the  Hpanish  language.     He  was  for  years  a  regular  subscriber 


b 


and  reader  of  the  foar  leading  EngliBh  reviews,  the  Nineteenth  Cen- 
tary,  the  Contemporary,  the  Fortnightly  and  the  We«tniin»ter  Re- 
news, and  also  the  Popular  Science  Monthly.  He  was  thoroaKhly 
familiar  with  the  standard  writers  of  bis  own  language,  both  philos- 
ophers and  poets,  w^hose  wise  or  striking  sayings  be  used  freely  to 
quote  and  translate. 

He  was  a  sincere  admirer  of  Darwin  and  Herbert  Bpeneer  and 
ntixk-y,  and  nainrally,  with  them  he  believed  in  the  general  theory 
of  evolution. 

Mr.  Hanseo  had  a  keen  sense  of  biimor  though  naturally  a  very 
serious  man.  One  or  two  examples  will  saf&ce  to  illustrate  this 
jwint.  y-Krti  ago,  when  the  "Feniajis"  attrac^ted  much  attention,  I 
met  him  one  day  and  rallied  him  about  some  movement  his  "country- 
men, the  Fenians,"  had  jnst  been  makings  etc.  The  idea  of  classing 
him,  a  Gorman  of  the  Orrnians  as  no  Irishman  and  a  Fenian,  struck 
him  as  so  comical  that  whenever  wc  met  after  that,  for  a  long  time, 
he  conid  not  refrain  from  referring  to  his  ••brethren"  or  his  "coun- 
irj-men**  or  to  the  "Fenian  brotherhood"  and  their  somewhat  ec- 
centric activities. 

He  pretended  to  have  discovered  an  original  and  effective  mode 
of  "standing  off"  importunate  creditors.  He  would  relate  with  much 
seriousness  how  a  man  came  to  him  to  collect  an  account  and  how 
he  treiitrd  liioi  willi  great  civility,  and  askifl  liim  to  be  seated,  when 
he  i-ommenced  rending  to  him  some  of  his  poetry.  The  man  stood 
this  for  a  while  though  plainly  showing  uneasiness,  till  flnnllv  he 
got  up  and  said  he  must  be  going  as  be  had  to  meet  an  engagement, 
to  wbicb  Hansen  effusively  replied  that  he  wanted  him  to  listen  to 
some  very  6ne  passages,  asking  him  to  take  a  cigar  and  not  to  be  in 
a  hurry.  Then  Hansen  dosed  him  with  more  pix-try — wooden  poetry, 
like  much  of  that  which  is  dosed  out  to  a  suffering  public  in  the 
newspapers  and  magazines — till  at  last  tbe  man  started  up  In  sheer 
desperation  and  rushed  out  of  the  office,  and  Hausen  said  he  never 
saw  him  afterward.  Of  course  the  above  was  merely  an  imaginary 
episode;  he  probably  never  wrote  a  line  of  poetry  in  his  life. 

Mr.  Hansen  was  of  a  quiet  and  retiring  disposition,  being  natur- 
ally averse  to  anything  like  pnblicity;  but  he  lived  a  very  rich  Intel- 
lectnal  life  and  he  was  held  in  the  highest  esteem  by  his  intimate 
friends.  Ue  was  a  man  of  progressive  and  far-reachiug  ideas,  and 
was  ever  ready  to  help  any  oue  to  build  up  the  city;  and.  as  one  gf 
the  largest  land  owners  of  the  city,  he  did  not  sell  his  lots  in  the 


rtro  NOTABLE  PIONEERS 


6i 


early  times  (or  gain,  but  rather  almost  gave  them  away  to  necnrc 
their  settlement  and  improvement,  and  at  the  same  time  to  aid 
worthy  poor  men.  He  donated  both  laud  and  water  to  ttie  woolen 
mill  to  [-nronrage  the  building  up  of  a  nHefnl  local  luduatry. 

Leaving  no  relatives  in  this  country,  Mr.  Hansen  willed  his 
property  to  Alfred  Bolano,  hia  protegd,  whom  he  bad  brought  up 
from  boyhood  and  educated  aa  rivil  engineer.  In  accordance  with 
hia  own  request  bis  body  waa  incinerated. 

I  rememeber  very  well  attending  a  meeting  of  citizens  I  think  m 
*72  or  *73  held  to  consider  the  question  of  purchasing  the  Kveuing 
Kzpresa  of  George  Tiffany,  who,  it  waa  understood,  wished  to  aeil 
his  interest,  the  desire  of  our  people  being  to  prevent  the  paper  from 
falling  under  the  control  of  the  railroad  company,  whose  iron  grip 
they  had  even  then  begun  to  feet.  A  joint  stock  company  waa  formed, 
the  i-ui-chase  was  made  and  the  paper  was  placed  under  the  editorial 
control  of  Messrs.  Ayers  and  Lynch,  who  later  bought  out  the  other 
Blockholders  and  became  sole  owners,  and  who  made  the  Express  & 
success  and  a  powerful  exponent  of  public  opinion.  Afterwards 
Mr.  Lynch  bought  tbe  Herald,  Col.  Ayers  thereafter  becoming  sole 
manager  of  the  Express. 

As  I  look  back  and  review  the  yeoman's  service  wliu-n  OM. 
Ayers  rendered  to  this  commuuity  during  those  years,  1  uak  myself 
the  question — what  was  the  main  secret  of  bis  inOueuce?  to  which 
I  answer,  iluit  he  had  strong  convictions  and  he  waa  alwaj-s  loyal 
to  those  convictions. 

In  some  incidental  correspondence  on  other  matters  that  I  had 
with  him  last  summer,  I  tried  to  get  him  to  engage  in  correspond- 
ence ill  which  1  hoped  to  draw  him  out  on  many  questions  of  general 
interest.  To  which,  in  reply,  be  wrote  last  July:  ''You  have  no 
idea  how  I  have  regretted  that  my  health  has  been  such  that  I  have 
not  been  enabled  to  enter  upon  and  keep  np  audi  a  correspondence 
as  you  proposed.  It  would  have  been  so  luntiially  satisfying  and 
beneficial,  and  we  might  have  left  some  useful  bints  behind  us.'' 

Two  or  three  years  ago  I  urged  Col.  Ayers  to  write  out  bis  re- 
membrances of  events  and  of  persona  in  California  since  the  days  of 
'49  andthat,  if  written  with  any  degree  of  fuliness,  sucbau  autobiog- 
raphy, because  of  the  active  and  prominent  part  he  him- 
self had  taken  in  public  affairs,  would  be  in  reality  a 
history  of  California.  I  am  glad  to  know  that  he 
acted      on      my      suggestion.      His      mnnuncrijit      autobiograph- 


«•         HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  CAUFORHIA. 

leal  hiMtorv  of  M>vi>ral  hundred  pag««,  wbicb  be  pemiitt(>il  me 
to  wad  biffore  hJB  denth,  ifi  a  jn*Rl)hic  and  exceedingly  Interesting 
work,  wliirh  I  liopp  may  HCHm  tie  jinblifiheil.  It  is  rea)1y  a  valuable 
eontribatiou  (n  f'allfoniia  bialory.  In  tbc  mean  time,  tliow  who  de- 
■Ih'  to  learn  mope  of  Col.  Ayeni'  varied  career,  are  referred  to  ibe 
UlaHtrated  HiMlnry  of  \jm  AngeleH  County,  fiubiinhed  In  1889,  whicb 
oontalnR  a  iiketrh  of  bin  life,  dictated  to  tbe  writer  hereof  by  bimeelf, 
and  alMi>  to  tlie  loc-ul  prexH  whirh,  un  tbe  m'caKton  of  bin  dealb,  gave 
Hpprer-intive  and  Interesting  aeronntfi  of  hlH  life  and  ehararter.  Tlie 
Henild  eulogy  by  Mr.  Hpaldiogp  who,  as  a  newspaper  man,  knew  cqi. 
Ayem  Intimately,  was  nioHt  admirable  and  truthfnl. 

I  have  only  plendant  memorieB  of  (-ol.  Ayers — each  memoriea 
an  one  wnnid  nnlnrally  retain  in  attRociatlng  wKb  a  thoroughly  cul- 
tured man  of  the  world  like  bim,  who  wns  "lioneBt  to  tbe  core,^ 
whoae  heart  was  iim  tientle  as  that  of  a  woman. 

Col.  Ayer»  was  a  fine  Khakesi)earian  dcholar.  He  npoke  French 
and  HpanlHli  lluently.  But  one  of  tbe  highest  compliments  I  can 
pay  to  hl8  menmry  la  to  expirwi  my  belief  that  in  all  bis  jotirnalistio 
caniT,  bin  inllnenre  wna  ever  oaBt  on  the  side  of  the  people  and  in 
favor  of  human  rights  and  of  human  fn^edom. 

At  the  centennial  eeJebratlon  of  our  national  independence  by 
Ibe  pe-Mple  of  I.oh  Anceles  July  4,  1876,  Col.  Ayera  read  a  [)oem  Trom 
which  I  tjiiote  tbe  following  Unea: 


"K>n  aa  where  wrecta  on  sunken  rocke  are  caat. 
Show  watchful  pilols  eoiirwa  safe  to  trace, 

fik)  we,  by  holding  still  in  view  the  past, 
By  public  good  may  public  ill  replace. 

**One  hundred  years,  summed  in  a  nation's  life, 
Form  but  the  childhood  term — the  tender  age — 

When,  with  disease  and  heedless  error  rife. 
The  coming  man  gropes  thro'  his  infant  stage. 


"Passed  are  all  these;  in  mnnhood's  stalwart  pride 

W'v  sally  forth  with  destiny  to  cope. 
And.  dnrlng  adverse  winds  and  threatening  tide, 

Launch  on  the  world  a  new  career  of  ho|>e. 


TWO  NOTABLE  PJONSBRS. 

"Tbat  hope  ie  Freedom's,  here  and  everywhere 
On  (bin  broad  parlh,  where  man,  duwotrod, 

Beuds  Qp  to  Leaven  u  supplicating  prayer 
To  shield  him  from  the  tyrant's  rathlcss  rod! 

"To  ns,  entrusted  by  Almighty  hand. 

The  ark  of  freedom,  which  our  fathers  bore 

In  safety  from  the  dread  oppressor's  land, 
And  planted  on  Columbia's  western  Bh<»«;— 

"To  us  is  friveii  the  rharpe  to  gnard  it  well; 
And  if  from  public  vice  the  danger  come, 
InsidiotiR  though  it  be.  and,  growing,  swell 
With  giant  power  as  erst  in  olden  Rome, 

"Yet  we  will  grapple  with  the  monster's  might — 
Place  Virtue  on  our  shields,  and  with  the  spear 

Of  Truth,  firm  set  in  place,  bend  to  tlie  fight, 
And  crush  it  under  hoof,  'mid  high  career. 

'Treedom  Is  ours  in  trust — oh,  priceless  trust! 

To  guard  with  hearts  that  beat  the  Oodward  side— 
With  souls  that  feel  the  impulse  of  the  just, 

And  rising,  swell  to  Honor's  manly  pride! 

*'In  every  votary's  breast  she  rears  a  shrine, 

Where  inward  glows  her  quenchless  vestal  flame — 

Entbroiiwl  »he  dwi'lls  in  every  patriot  mind, 
And  blazons  forth  from  fields  of  deathless  fame. 

"Out  from  thy  pregnant  womb,  O,  Time!  bring  forth 
Men  equal  to  our  country's  futare  needs, 

With  faces  skyward,  hearts  of  purest  worth, 
And  iron  nerves  strung  to  the  bravest  deeds. 


9i 


'TVith  these,  we'll  bid  defiance  to  the  woes 
That  Fate  may  launch  against  our  hallowed  land — 

Unyielding  breasts  will  brave  our  open  foes, 
And  Honor's  foot  on  prostrate  Baseness  stand." 


ISLA   DE   LOS  nUERTOS. 


BY   MRS.    U.    BUKTON   WILLIAMSON. 


[Written  for  Overlaod  Monthly. 1 

Ab  nil  il)iifitrHtt»n  of  rmfnn^'ti  progr^fiw  in  ivnioving  one  of  hef 
own  landmarka,  a  little  Island  Ln  San  Pedro  Bay,  knowo  as  Dead 
Man'fl  Iflland,  or  more  pro{>erl,y  Isla  de  lo«  Muertos,  exhibits  a  fine  ex- 
aiujilti.  Within  a  few  years  the  wbole  facies  of  this  istaud  has  been 
changed  by  the  erosive  power  of  waves  and  tides,  as  well  na  by  the 
winter  rains.  The  base  of  Dead  Man's  Island,  daily  lashed  by  the 
rushing  waves,  shows  the  effect  of  wai>?8  and  tides,  in  their  action  on 
Pliocene  rook;  and  that  of  the  upper  stratum,  or  summit,  tells  the 
story  of  the  destructive  power  of  rain  on  the  more  reeent  or  quater- 
nary formation.  In  the  IraiiaactioiiB  of  the  I.  I*.  Chap,  of  the  A.  A., 
the  Hon.  Delos  Arnold  says  of  Dead  Man's  Island:  "To  one  who  has 
spent  many  pleasant  and  profitable  hours  in  tliis  lonely  spot,  it  cannot 
hut  ciiuse  an  abiding  sorrow  to  witness  the  devastation  that  is  con- 
stantly and  rapidly  going  on  by  the  relentlfj*»  waves.  Within  the  reo- 
olIectioD  of  persons  now  living  the  island  has  diminished  one-half  or 
more,  and  there  are  now  living  those  who  will  see  the  tides  sweeping 
over  the  spot  where  the  receding  island  now  utauds,  uuless  some 
stops  are  taken  to  protect  It" 

A  few*  years  ago  the  ocean  side  on  the  westi  of  thi*  island  cocld 
only  be  rearli€?d  either  by  way  of  the  inner  harbor  or  by  climbing  to 
the  top  of  the  island  then  descending  down  thv  precipitous  trail,  but 
now  one  can  walk  all  around  it  without  obstruction.  This  has  been 
made  possible  by  an  arch  cut  through  the  solid  tsjck.  A  hole,  that 
appeared  to  be  an  entrance  to  a  stuall  cave  in  the  rock,  has  been  rap- 
idly  enlarged  by  the  waves  and  breakers  which  beat  with  prodigious 
force  against  the  base  of  the  island  until  an  arch  has  been  formed 
in  the  solid  rock.  When  the  tide  is  high  the  brenkers  sweek  through 
the  arch,  bnt  when  the  tide  is  low  one  can  easily  pass  through  it 
around  the  island. 

Dead  Man's  Island  or  "Isia  de  los  Muertos."  is  so  small  it  appears 
only  like  a  pile  of  sandy  soil  in  the  ocean  when  viewed  from  tiie 
mainland,  but  many  islands  of  far  greater  dimensionsare  of  less  value 


I3LA  VIS  LOS  laVSRTOS. 


«s 


to  Lietorj  or  to  Rt^ienne.  HiHtoricatly  it  ie  ideDtified  with  the  retak- 
ing of  llie  capital  of  Onlifornin,  at  that  time  tlip  PueMo  de 
Lo6  AngeleB,  aud  scieulificallj'  it  bae  a  natiooal  reputatiou  on  oc- 
coont  of  its  foBsit  shc-llB. 

At  one  time  it  was  pus»ible  to  wade  in  the  low  water  from  the 
town  of  Son  Pedro  lo  the  island,  but  the  building  of  an  inner  harbor 
betwe<'n  these  two  places  has  brnn^bt  on  a  stretch  of  water  thartan 
only  be  spanned  hy  a  skiff  or  boat.  A  breakwater,  a  mile  and  one 
qnaiter  long,  connects  Dead  Man's  Island  on  the  east  with  a  long 
aandy  beach,  formerly  known  as  "Rattlesnake  Island,"  though  now 
called  Terminal  Inland. 

On  a  clear  day  the  view  froui  th«  top  of  Dead  Man's  Island  le 
fine.  One  can  see,  on  the  west,  the  little  watering  place,  Banta  Cat- 
aliuu,  with  its  narrow  isthmus  plainly  visible,  Trom  twenty  five  to 
thirty  miles  out  in  the  Taritir  Dcean.  On  thv  mainland,  jutting  oat 
from  the  Palos  Verdes  Hllla,  Point  Firoiiu,  the  lighthouse,  deflnea 
itself  against  Ibe  hurizon,  then  stretched  along,  one  alter  another 
on  the  high  bluffs,  the  tuwns  of  San  Pedro,  Wilmington,  Long  Beach 
and  AlamitoB  encircle  the  bay  of  San  Pedro. 

It  is  easy  to  conjecture  why  the  island  is  given  so  gruesome  a 
cognomen  as  ''Dead  Man's  Island."  or  "Isla  de  tos  Muertos,*  by  the 
Si>auish  in  CalifoTnia,  us  the  name  hints  at  a  legend.  Mr.  Steplien 
O.  Foster  says  that  Col.  J.  J.  Warner,  who  came  to  this  cost  in  1831, 
told  him  the  island  got  its  name  from  the  fact  that  a  sailor  who  died 
on  a  vessel  trading  on  the  coast  was  buried  on  the  island,  this  wa« 
before  Col.  Warner  came,  as  it  more  that  name  when  he  arrived. 

Borne  years  after,  when  R,  H.  Dana,  Jr.,  was  a  sailor  before  the 
mast  in  the  American  merchant  service,  he  sailed  on  the  California 
coast,  and  he  has  given  as  a  graphic  picture  of  the  lalaod.  He  was 
in  San  Pedro  on  Sunday  and  his  brig,  the  Pilgrim,  "lay  in  the  of- 
fljig,"  as  far  out  as  he  conid  see,  he  says,  "the  only  other  thing  which 
broke  the  surface  of  the  great  bay  was  a  small,  desolate-looking  isl- 
and, steep  and  conical,  of  a  clayey  soil  and  without  the  sign  of  veg- 
etable life  upon  it,  yet  which  had  a  peculiar  ajid  melancholy  interest 
to  me,  for  on  the  top  of  it  were  buried  the  remains  of  an  Eugliwhrnan^ 
the  commander  of  a  small  merchant  brig,  who  died  while  lying  in 
this  port.  It  was  alwaj-s  a  solemn  and  interesting  spot  to  me.  There 
It  stood,  desolate  and  in  the  midst  of  desolation;  and  there  were  the 
remains  of  one  who  di^  and  was  buried  alone  and  frieudless.  Bad 
it  been  a  common  burying  place  it  would  have  been  nothing.    The 


'fiS 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOOTffEJfN  CAUFORNIA. 


fliriKle  body  corresponded  well  with  the  solitftry  character  of  every* 
tiiiiiK  arouDd."  This  was  iu  lK:;r),  a  strong  cootraat  to  the  town- 
atndded  baj  of  today!  "It  was  th<  only  thing  in  California  from 
whleh  I  coQid  ever  extract  aoytbing  like  poetry.  Then,  too,  the  man 
die<l  far  from  home,  without  a  friend  near  him,  by  poison,  it  waa  sua- 
pe<:ted,  and  no  one  to  inquire  into  it,  and  without  proper  funeral  ritee, 
the  mate,  ae  1  was  told,  glad  to  have  him  out  of  the  way  and  into  the 
ground  without  a  word  of  prayer." 

Allhuugb  the  sea  gulls  winged  their  dlght  fur  many  yearn  over 
tbe  solitary  and  deHolate  grave  uf  the  Kuglishmau,  other  victims, 
and  this  lime  uf  war,  were  carried  up  tbe  bill  and  lowered  into  graves 
dug  un  its  suiuuiil.  In  October,  lSi6.  six  American  marines,  who 
were  killed  or  died  uf  wounds  iu  tbe  tight  at  Domiugue/,  rauch,  were 
buried  on  this  island,  emphasiziug  it  still  more  as  tbe  Isle  of  the  Dead. 
As  there  is  considerable  vartatiun  iu  authorities  in  the  given  num- 
ber of  men  killed  in  this  fight,  beiug  variously  estimated  from  "four" 
to  "twelve*'  or  "Ibirlct'D.''  as  nvll  us  the  number  of  graves  ou  the 
island,  I  will  give  some  notes  copied  from  the  log  book  of  the  V..  8.  S. 
Savannah  for  October,  1846.  I  am  indebted  to  the  Secretary  of  the 
Navy  for  this  data:  '"In  reply  I  have  to  inform  yon  that  tbe  Chief  of 
the  Bureau  of  Navigation,  to  whom  your  letter  was  referred  for  an 
«xaminat)on  of  tbe  log  book  of  the  U.  8.  B.  Savannah,  reports  as  fol- 
lows: 

"  'The  log  book  of  the  U.  S.  B.  Havanuah  for  1846  abows  that 
the  vessel  was  at  Monterey,  Cal.,  during  August,  1846. 

"  'First  anived  in  the  Bay  of  San  Pedro  October  7,  on  which  date 
an  expedition  was  landed  for  the  purpose  of  retalcing  the  town  of 
Pueblo  de  loa  Angeles,'  0°  the  earlier  official  papers  of  the  United 
States  Los  Angelica  wa«  written  I>oft  Angolos,)  'capital  of  CaHfomia.' 
On  landing  William  Smith  (1.  0.  U.)  was  killed.  (This  was  before  the 
battle)  by  the  accidental  di^i^Uarge  of  a  pistol.' 

''The  log  for  October  i*  states  that  'at  2  the  Angelos  expedition 
arrived  at  the  landing,  having  been  unable  to  effect  their  object  ow- 
ing to  the  very  superior  force  of  tbe  enemy.'.    .    . 

« t^jjg  following  dead  and  wounded  were  brought  on  board,  vtx: 
Bficbael  Uoy  (sea;)  David  Johnson  {0.  S.;)  both  dead;  Charles  Bomers 
(miiHiciian,)  mortally  wouuded.  William  Berry  (sea,)  sev>;rely 
wounded.  .  .  .  Charles  Somers,  who  was  mortally  wounded  in 
the  action  of  yesterday,  departed  thai  Life.  At  9:30  sent  the  body  of 
William  Smith,   who  was  accidentally  killed,  and  tbe  bodies  of 


I 


ISLA  VE  LOS  MUERTOS. 


67 


Michael  Hoy,  James  (?)  Johnson  and  Cbarles  Somers,  who  were  killed 
in  the  acUou  of  yeaterdaj,  on  an  ialand  for  intermoDt.* 

"October  11  ibe  log  stalei»  that  'William  B.  Berrjr  departed  ibis 
life  from  wounds  received  tn  the  action  of  the  8th.  Buried  body  of 
M'.  H.  lierr.y  on  Dead  Muq'h  Island.' 

"On  Oetoher  23  the  log  shows  that  'Henry  Lewis  fmnnnv)  de- 
parted this  life.  .  .  .  Burled  on  Dead  Man's  Island  the  remains  of 
Henry  8.  Lewis  (marine.)' 

"Ko  further  desubs  were  reported  up  to  Kovtmber  4, 1846,  whep  the 
Savannah  left  the  Bay  of  San  Pedro.'  Nothing  has  bven  found  on 
the  recordd  of  the  department  showing  the  exact  size  of  this  island 
at  the  time  to  which  you  refer."  Thege  extracts  from  the  log  book 
settle  the  question  of  the  number  hilled  in  the  tight  and  buried  ou 
the  island  during  the  month  of  October,  184C, 

Of  the  fight  at  Doniioguez  Ranch,  I  am  indebted  for  data  to  Mr. 
8tepben  Foster,  who  came  to  Culifornia  in  1847.  In  a  letter  re- 
ceived from  him  he  says  of  the  fight:  "In  August,  1S4(>,  Commodore 
Ktockton  took  poHseuHion  of  Loh  Angeles  and  left  a  small  garrison 
here.  The  Callforniaiis  rose  and  drove  the  AniericauB  oul,  and  they 
went  aboard  a  vessel  ut  aiiehor  at  San  Pedro.  Captain  Mervine  rame 
from  the  Hay  of  San  Franrisco  wilh  the  frigate  Savannah  and  started 
with  about  two  hundred  and  fifty  men  afoot  for  Los  Aqgelca 
He  had  no  artillery,  and  the  Californians,  all  mounted,  with  a  small 
cannon,  met  him  on  Doratnguez  ranch,  about  wheri*  Compton  now 
stands,  and  there  was  a  ninnnig  flgbt  for  some  three  milt-s.  The  can- 
non was  quartered  in  the  road  and  tJie  Californians  would  make  a 
feint  to  charge  and  Mervine  would  mass  his  men  together  to  resist 
cavalry,  when  the  canon  would  bo  discharged,  and  the  landei-s  would 
wheel  about.  This  was  repeated  four  or  Ave  times.  Some  eight  or 
ten  Americans  were  killed  or  wounded,  the  exact  number  1  have 
never  heard,  but  the  dead  and  wounded  were  loaded  on  a  cart  taken 
from  the  Douiinguez  ranch  and  sailors  pulled  the  cart  to  the  beach 
and  the  dead  were  buried  ou  the  island." 

In  the  history  of  California  by  Hubert  H.  Bancroft,  be  says  of 
the  uannou  in  the  light:  "When  Mervine  came  near,  the  gun  waa 
L  fired  by  Ignacio  Agnilar,  and  was  immediately  dragged  away  by 
I  riatas  atached  to  the  hui'senien^s  saddles,  to  be  reloaded  at  a  safe 
I  distance.  This  operation  was  repeated  some  half  a  dozen  times  in 
I  less  than  an  hour.  The  first  discharge  did  no  harm,  since  the  home- 
I       made  powder  was  nsed,  but  at  last  the  gun  waa  properly  loaded  and 


SOU7HSKN  CAUfOXyiA. 


the  aolid  colnnui  affording  an  p-xcell«iit  target,  each  shot  via  effect- 
Ire.  8lx  vere  kilted  and  u  manj  were  woaiKtnl,  if  indeed  Ibe  loaa 
of  AiDt^cass  was  not  greater.*^  Aa  haa  been  stated  tbe  official  kc- 
ord  aettlea  tke  qoeatioa  oC  tte  number  wfao  died  and  were  buried. 
Id  his  "BfinlniteMcea  of  a  Baaeer.**  Major  Horace  Bell  aaja  of 
the  gun  nwd  in  the  flghl  at  Domingacx  raadi  that  it  was  taken  to 
Dead  Han's  Island  no  Jnlj  4, 18S3,  to  fire  off  a  aadooal  oalnte. 

**Captain  SepolTeda  BostMvd  and  embarked  hia  coBmand  on  a 
lar^  boat  and  proceeded  Dp  Wilmington  Baj^  where  be  embarked 
Ut  artillrrr  and  sailed  ror  Dead  Man's  Island,  where,  after  inftaite 
labor,  be  surreeded  ia  noaatiap  his  battei;  oo  the  hi^est  point  of 
the  island,  and  all  being  rmdy  we  let  looae  sadi  a  tbnsder  as  was 
sever  exnvded  by  one  gnn.  li  sermed  that  we  woold  wake  the  seven 
sleeping  heroes  who  ao  qoietlr  rfpoaed  an  the  little  barm  ro^. 
Don  Joan  (^palveda)  said  the  firing  would  aerre  a  triple  psrpose,  it 
woald  dissipate  the  last  vescage  of  nafrieodlr  feeling  that  msT  hare 
lingered  in  the  bosons  of  the  sons  «£the  coantrj  toward  the  United 
&tat««;  that  It  wooM  serve  to  express  sw  grstitode  to  the  great 
founders  of  modem  libenr.  and  it  would  be  an  appeopciate  salate  to 
the  aeren  (six)  bnte  marines  who  lost  their  lirts  in  ilwtr  coontrjr'a 


**I>on  Joan  proceeded  to  tell  ss  how  the  seren"  (there  were : 
graTca,  but  not  all  of  them  killed  at  the  ight  at  Domincwv  BanchJ 
**saikt«  cmase  to  be  killed.  Their  woodea  hcad-bsards  stood  in  tine 
in  front  of  ns."  After  relating  ssane  incidents  of  the  fight,  Doa 
Jaan  ecpatreda  said:  -The  oU  g«a  wan  sabse^neMlj  bvtied  nctt 
■17  haoae,  and  after  a  nap  vt  ax  jeaia,  here  It  is»  and  here  «m  1,  and 
srAets  who  dragged  it  sway  at  the  time;  aad  hoe  we  are,  all  of  aa. 
the  old  gan,  the  oU  aKWC%  Bov  fricadi^  aad  here  ia  hcaTe  Higaeim. 
firtag  a  nlate  «f  hsMr  aver  oar  farmer  fsea,  wha  fleU  ia  faattlCL 
^^n  kw  BMadss  Uaidaa!  Tin  Mexico  Samsa  i^migss'"  Aaother 
link  ia  thcMstotj  of  this  little  isfcaad  that  c<«aects  it  with  the  his- 
tory of  ChBteaia. 

A  tangled  growth  of  weeds  sa  the  aaamatsf  Dead  Man's  Isiaad 
has  made  it  liapsntfbh  flir  me  to  Bslhftsiii  msse  thsa  tre  grares 
aa  the  isiaad,  sae^saaheatwa  ST  ftree  feet  dswa.  is.  I  puss  mi.  that 
of  the  nnkasva  BagKihmaa.  Oae  grave  oo  Ae  north  wvstem  coraer 
Btfn  hss  a  Bomber  of  chalk-white  foonl  sheOs  mixed  with  jAov  soO 
thrswaapoa  either  side  of  iL  Ftagmeats  of  fwarfl  AePs  are  i 
ahsat  the  dMoying  foot  aad  headboards  that  mark  other  ciares. 


I 

I 


I 


ISLA  DE  LOS  MUERTOa. 


6g 


When  I  was  on  tlie  ittland  lnKt  spring,  a  nompanion  "paei>d  It" 
and  flftv  by  om?  hundntd  Feet  provMi  to  bp  its  area.  A  few  years  ago 
a  bed  of  white  foHall  eUellH.  iinaternarv.  wan  Wnible  aroimd  its  aum- 
niit,  but  theMie  have  been  WRHhed  down  aiid  loilged  in  rhe  rocltpools 
at  llic  base  of  the  island.  Nearly  tlipep  hundred  ftin'cies  and  vapietics 
of  fossil  shells  have  beeu  collected  on  this  island.  The  baae  of  the 
island  is  a  much  older  formation  than  on  its  loose,  sandy  siiminit. 
Here,  near  the  base,  we  And  fossil  shells  of  the  PlioceuC;  and  imssibly 
Btiocene  strata  of  rooks.  To  Ue  able  to  pick  up  fossil  shells  while  eoi- 
lectiup  living  ones,  is  one  of  the  unique  eiperiences  a  collector  can 
report  from  the  islaud.  And  a  few  years  ago  runchologists  could 
cut  fossil  shells  from  the  soft,  clayey  soil  at  the  bottom  or  a  tide 
pool!  The  water  would  become  roiled  in  tiny  clonda  as  the  knife 
dislodged  the  soil  that  formed  a  clayey  matrix  around  the  sholl.  A 
number  of  flue  Fusus  barbareusis  aod  Fusiis  eorpuleutus  were  thus 
found  embeded  in  rocks  that  formed  the  base  of  rock-pools,  the  borne 
of  numerous  living  mulluskH.  Dead  Mau*s  Island  has  supplied  con- 
chologists  with  many  fossil  uiollusks  uow  known  only  to  inhabit,  in 
any  number,  thu  waters  of  our  northern  coast;i  amoDK  these  arc 
Chrysodomus  tabulatus  and  Tritouium  oregooensis,  the  lastnamed 
being  more  especially  a  Puget  Sound  and  Vancouver  Island  moIIuBK. 

Identified  nith  t'alifornia  in  itai  bistoty  and  its  science,  with  alt 

its  inhabitants  buried  on  the  summit  that  rises  a  solitary  pile  above 

the  ocean  breakers,  this  little  vanishing  island  should  be  considered 

as  something  more  than  a  "dvsolate- looking  island"  on    the    Pacttto 

Coast. 


THE  FOUm)ERING  OF  THE  STEAMSHIP  CETmUL  AMERICA. 


nr  ■.  IX.  BAMtows. 


[ftcad  I>eoEmbcr  6,  189&.] 

Tbe  loM  off  Cape  Hattenu  of  the  steamer  "Central  America,' 
vitb  eome  501)  paMeoger*.  moatl;  from  tbe  Pacific  Coaat^  Satnrdaj 
Digbt,  November  12,  l><o'i,  was  a  disaster  that  cansed  a  profouid  sen- 
sation at  the  time  throaghoot  the  coontrj,  bat  especUkUj  in  Califor> 
ttia,  because  so  usn.T  of  the  passeogers  00  board  that  ill  fated  ship 
were  Califomians.  The  writer  of  these  Uses  came  very  near  bnng 
one  of  the  number,  as  he  bad  Inteoded  to  hare  left  San  Praodsro  on 
the  sfesmpr  that  woald  have  connected  with  the  "Centml  America," 
bat  at  the  last  moment  he  decided  to  take  the  next  steamer,  which 
lie  did.  passing  orer  the  same  ronte  two  weeks  later.  We  first  heard 
of  the  loss  at  Havana,  ofT  the  month  of  the  harbor  where  onr  steamer 
called  to  leave  passeDgers  destined  for  New  Orleans,  in  case  the  con* 
nectitig  steamer  had  not  left.  We  did  not  enter  the  harbor  of  Ua- 
vana  because  of  the  existence  there  of  yellow  ferer.  The  captam  «: 
the  port  came  out  and  bailed  as  and  informed  oar  captain,  who  did 
not  nnderstand  Spanish,  in  broken  English,  that  the  New  Orleans 
steamer  had  le-ft.  and  then  immediatelv  addi^  in  S{mnisfa:  "The  'Cen- 
tral America*  has  l>een  lost  with  500  passengefH."  which  sad  news 
was  corroborated  at  Ke>-  West  where  we  arrived  next  morning. 

On  mj  retnm  from  the  East,  in  the  following  December,  I  mode 
the  acqaaintance  of  a  fellow-pasBenger  on  the  steamer,  who  was  on 
the  "C<'ntral  America"  at  the  time  she  foundered,  who  was  returning 
from  his  eastern  trip  to  his  home  in  Oregon. 

In  looking  over  my  old  papers  lately,  I  came  across  the  following 
account  of  his  experiences  and  impressions  of  that  terrible  sea 
tragedy,  as  I  took  it  down  from  bis  lips.  My  memorandum  is  dated 
and  reads  as  follows: 

Bteamer  "John  L.  Stephens," 
Off  txtwer  California,  Dec  26,  IH&'t. 

I  have  made  the  aoqnaintanoe  of  a  gentleman  on  board  ^fao  was 
on  the  ill-fated  "Central  America"  at  the  time  of  her  wreck.  He  was 
12  hours  in  the  water  after  she  went  down,  bnt  was  finally  picked 
up  by  the  Norwegian  barqne  "Ellen,"  and  is  now  on  his  way  to  Ure- 


mT 


I 
I 

I 


1 
1 


FOUNDEftlNG  OF  STEAMSHIP  CENTRAL  AMERICA.       71 


gon  where  he  resides.    His  name  id  John  D.  Dement  of  Oregon  City. 

The  experiences  of  an  eyo-witupss  of  that  awful  raliimliy  cftuiitit 
bnt  prove  intereatinR.  The  public  has  a  right  to  know  all  tliatjcan 
be  known  of  the  circnmatancee  attending  the  disaster,  so 
far  as  they  iudicate  the  causes  that  led  to  it. 

Mr.  Pemerit  i»  a  muscular,  well-built  man,  rather  above  the  av- 
erage stature,  with  strong  nerves,  and  apparentlj  he  is  capable  of 
retaining  his  presence  of  mind  in  emergencies — to  which  qualities  he 
bas  been  Indebted  under  Providence  for  the  preservation  of  bis  life 
on  several  occasions. 

He  wm  on  the  "Teiaa,"  a  year  ago,  when  she  put  into  Norfolk  in 
dlfltresB;  and  also  on  this  eame  "John  I^  Stephens"  last  year,  off  tbe 
Gulf  of  Tehiiantepec,  in  a  heavy  gale,  when,  hi  both  eases,  be  tbinks, 
the  storm  was  fully  as  severe  as  that  iu  which  tbe  "Central  Amer- 
ica" was  lost.  Tbe  "Stephens."'  a  year  ago  this  very  upwai-*!  trip, 
with  our  present  Captain  Pearson  in  command,  was  disabkd  by  the 
breaking  of  the  frame  work  which  supported  her  engine,  so  that 
water  rushed  in  at  every  revolution  of  ber  ehaft.  Tbe  pusgengers 
were  ordered  below,  and  Capt.  Pearson  remained  above  almost  atone, 
being  obliged  to  walk  the  deck  In  his  stocking  feet;  the  bulwarks 
were  washed  away,  and  a  portion  of  one  of  her  wheel  houses  was 
broken  in;  the  cattle  on  board  were  washed  overboard  and  lost,  and 
the  ship  was  kept  to  the  wind  with  only  enough  steam  on  to  keep  her 
from  drifting;  she  finally  rode  it  out,  but,  of  course,  miule  no  head- 
way till  the  storm  abated.  If  her  shaft  bad  broken,  or  ber  fires  had 
been  put  out,  she  would  still  have  had  the  reaonrce  left  of  sail  to 
have  scud  before  the  wind;  otherwiae  she  most  have  laid  in  the 
trough  of  the  sea  and  gone  to  the  bottom — as  did  the  ''Central 
America.'' 

Mr.  Dement  says  that  tbe  foremast  of  the  latter  was  cut  away 

in  the  early  part  of  the  storm,  as  they  said  to  him,  "to  keep  her  from 

blowing  over  on  her  side  so  much."     That,  in  bis  opinion,  was  one 

fatal  mistake  among  many  others.    He  thinks  that  even  the  "George 

Law"  need  not  have  Iwi-n  luHt,  as  it  was,  from  similar  causes,  in  this 

same  storm.    He  believes  the  fault  in  the  case  of  the    "Centra! 

k        America"  did  not  lie  entirely  nor  principally  with  Captain  Heradon, 

I       nor  with  his  engineers — they  were  the  faithful  but  straitened  em- 

B        ploy^s  of  a  heartless,  greedy,  money-making  company.    When  the 

I        steamer,  on  tbe  same  trip,  was  coaling  at  Havana,  it  came  out  tn 

I       the  presence  of  Mr.  Dement  and  others  that  Captain  Hemdon  could 


74 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA. 


\ 


siilepp  in  tilt?  btrtli.  and  told  him  that  thp  ship  was  sinking.     He 
turned  bis  feet  out  of  the  berth  and  said:  ''Oh,  I  gness  not.** 

Hr.  Dement  stepped  ontaide  the  stateroom,  cmd  the  water  vfia 
ankle  high.  Be  went  to  the  wheel  house  and  up  on  to  the  harrioanfl  | 
deck,  to  W  as  high  na  poRaihto.  It  was  then  about  8  o'clock  in  me 
evemug.  A  wave  came  from  the  leeward  aide  and  ran  partly  orer 
the  deck,  washinK  him  between  the  c«cape  pipe  and  the  smoke  atac^ 
and  then  receded,  when  another  heavy  wave  from  the  windward  8id« 
washed  over  her,  throwing  a  man  against  him.  which  forced  dim 
ont  from  between  the  'scape  pipe  and  smoke  stack,  at  which  she  Oe- 
jran  to  settle  bodiI,v,  her  Btt-rn  going  under  tirgt.  until  she  was  ew 
tirely  BubnuTged,  w1ii-d  she  sank — aH  Lut-ifer  ffll,  "To  riite  no  more!" 

Everything  near  her  was  drawn  down  in  her  mightj  wake.  Mr. 
lament  feit  her  under  his  feet  no  more,  but  was  drawn  down  a 
great  distance — he  knows  not  how  far;  but  he  did  not  lose  his  onn- 
BOtoasness;  be  was  aware  when  be  ceased  going  down — he  held  hig^ 
breath  as  long  as  he  could.  His  life-preserver  brought  him  up  with 
tremendous  velocity,  but  before  he  came  to  the  surface  he  lost  hU 
breath  and  began  to  strangle.  But  as  he  reached  the  upper  air  and 
cleared  his  throat  and  nostrils  of  salt  water,  he  saw  a  short  plank 
near  him  which  he  got  onto.  Ue  soon  saw  a  longer  one  and  swam 
to  it  and  secured  it  He  was  all  this  time  sorrouuded  by  human 
beings  shrieking  for  help,  and  struggling  in  sheer  desperation  with 
the  surging  wares  and  eddies  amid  the  darkness  for  their  lives,  and 
clinging  frantically  to  each  other  and  going  down  in  otter  despair 
Uid  exhaustion,  while  those  who  kept  above  water  were  gradnallj 
drifted  from  the  scene  of  that  dreadful  maelstrom  and  from  each 
other,  to  perish  one  by  one,  beneath  the  overwhelming  waves. 

Mr.  Dement  floated  near  what  appeared  tn  be  one  of  the  wheel 
housea,  with  the  bowing  or  semicircular  side  up.  He  swam  to  it 
and  rllnibed  on  it  and  was  thus  better  able  to  keep  at  least  his  head 
oat  of  Mat*T.  On  this,  he  and  a  man  nnme<l  Itrown  of  Bacramento 
remained  all  that  Saturday  night  and  until  they  were  picked  up.  De- 
ment says  he  had  to  keep  most  of  the  time  partly  in  the  water — for 
the  wind  was  colder  than  the  water — to  keep  him  from  getting 
chilled  through.  He  had  left  his  overcoat  on  the  steamer,  but  Brown 
bad  on  his  overcoat  and  stood  the  cold  pretty  well  and  kept  on  top 
ol  the  raft  all  the  time.    Each  occupied  a  corner,  and  as  they  bad  a 

t  tendency  to  sleep,  tbey  took  turns  in  keeping  each  other  awake 


mm 


"EAMHHIP  CENTflAL  AMERICA.        7J 


they  can  be  said  to  have  provided  at  all  for  any  sneh  emergency. 

And  then,  the  mnnadement  on  board  Bwiiis  to  liave  heeo  bad, 
first,  in  [ifrniittinp  tlie  water  to  fill  iht-  lower  hold  before  it  waa 
known  that  the  ahip  leaked  danperonaly,  and  then  in  not  starting 
the  donkey  \t\\m\\  at  oiu-e,  and  when  it  was  foiiud  to  be  imiHiwiible 
to  keep  the  water  from  putting  out  (he  flreH  (iu  which  eaKe  Hhe  iiiu8t 
inevitably  fall  into  the  trough  of  the  eea.)  to  cut  away  hor  foremast. 
For  she  thns  would  have  no  means  of  keeping  before  the  wind,  nor  of 
heading  to  it;  no  wonder  that,  in  thin  helplesa  pondition,  mUo  filled 
and  Hank. 

Of  Captain  Herndon,  Mr.  Dement  thinkn  that  he  waa  wliolly 
unequal  to  siieh  a  terrible  aituation;  that  he  was  a  good  and  brave 
man  and  had  all  the  amiable  ^iiialitiea.  and  that  lie  acted  acrording 
to  bis  best  judgment,  but  that  he  was  handicapi>e<I  by  the  criminal, 
heartless  titin^finoHs  of  his  compaDy.  the  Btoaniship  nwnurs.  The 
pafiBeti^ern  uppwired  to  be  doinn  earb  what  be  thought  beat.  Hailing 
eoniiuiniet*  were  formed:  some  busied  themnelves  in  trying  to  con- 
Htruct  rafts;  others,  completely  unmanned,  went  to  their  staterooms 
and  shut  theraselves  in.  Mr.  Dement  saw  but  one  attempt  made 
under  the  direction  of  the  officers  of  the  ship,  to  construct  a  raft, 
though  others  may  have  been  made. 

On  Kriday  (September  \\,\ about  noon,  a  lunch  waa  served,  when 
the  captain  came  down  into  the  cabin  and  called  on  the  waiters  to 
come  and  help  carry  coal.  Passengers  soon  after  commenc^'d  bailing 
wilh  buekets  by  passing  them  up  from  one  to  another.  There  was  n 
scarcity  of  buckets;  some  bad  uo  handles  and  some  soon  broke;  bar- 
rels were  aflerwards  rigged  to  haul  up  with  IWK-les.  etc.  Mr.  Dement 
BfiTs  he  bailed  thus  Friday  afternoon  and  all  night  and  till  Suturday 
afternoon  about  4  oVIork,  without  a  morsel  to  eat.  when  he  cod- 
Hiided,  as  it  was  doing  no  good,  to  ipiit;  that  the  ship  must  founder 
very  soon,  as  the  water  inside  was  filling  her  cabins,  and  outside  wab 
nearly  «p  lo  her  guards;  that  it  was  time  to  take  ciire  of  himself, 
and  allliough  he  despaired  of  his  life,  he  determined  to  do  all  (hat 
could  be  done  to  wave  it.  for  there  was  hope  f«o  long  as  there  was  life. 

He  went  to  his  trunk,  took  out  some  papers  of  value  and  some 
money,  and  with  is  overcoat  and  life-preserver,  went  on  deck  and 
sat  down  ou  a  ti-nnk  in  one  of  the  upper  state  rooms,  and  leaned 
back  to  get  a  little  rest;  he  slept,  he  thiukH.  perhajis  two  hours,  when 
he  awoke,  the  water  bad  covered  the  spnrdeck  and  the  ship  rolled 
helplessly  in  the  trough  of  the  sea.    Ho  awakened  a  man  who  was 


Tbe  SDDnal  reports  of  tbo  aarcemmve  Boards  of  EdncAtlOD  of  Lo« 
Aafelcs  ritr  for  tb^  past  rvelT«  jvara  haTe  nrri*>d  f^rwanl  Id  ««cfa 
year];  iatae  a  lt«t  of  the  "peraoaa  who  haw  U*«-o  8up«rinteade>iU 
of  tbf  Ixm  Aonrlea  citr  acbot^"  Th«>H-  lUts  aniformlr  give  Dr.  W. 
T.  LockT.  appotDted  in  ISTS,  aa  the  fir»t  Snp»TiDfeDdeDt,  There  is 
DO  Htatemeat  in  any  pobUahed  report  that  oar  schools  bad  a  svperria- 
inj;  officer  before  Dr.  Luckj. 

1  ren^tir  made  an  extended  Mvrch  tbroagb  Ibe  cttT  archives 
lor  data  In  recard  to  the  earljr  Krbools  of  oar  dtv  and  tbnr  saper 
riaioR.  I  find  from  the  art-hives  that  the  office  of  Huperintendenl  waa 
created  tweniv  rears  before  Dr.  Lockjr's  time,  and  that  fourteen  per^ 
Bona  filled  the  otHre  l)efore  IS73.  the  date  of  Dr.  Lnrfcr's  appniatmetit 

While  Loa  Anecles  was  ander  Mexican  domination  the  Arnnta- 
miento  (mnnlHpal  ronnril.)  emplojed  and  dismissed  reachera  and 
gan*  the  (M-hf>ols  nil  the  snperrision  they  rereired.  After  the  Ameri- 
can <'onque«it.  the  AjmntAmtrnto  was  continued  for  n  time  as  the 
goremiDg  power  of  the  citj;  and  it  exercised  its  former  functions  in 
regard  to  the  schools.  lo  Julj.  I$5n,  the  Avnntamieuto  was  stiper- 
seded  by  the  Common  CounciL  That  body  a^snmed  control  of  lh« 
schools,  bat  who  examined  teachers  and  superriBed  their  work,  the 
records  do  not  show.  L'p  lo  1853  the  scbotile  were  supported  in  part 
by  subscription,  the  Council  apportiouiui;  a  certain  amount  of  the 
niunicji>al  fund  to  each  school  for  the  educating  of  poor  children. 

The  first  ordinance  establishini;  public  schtwls  in  lAfs  Angelea 
city  was  passed  by  the  Common  Council,  July  -'0.  1853.  This  ordi- 
nance proxided  for  the  apiminlroeut  by  the  Council  of  three  CommiF- 
sioners  of  Public  Schools,  **who  shall  serve  as  a  City  Boanl  of  Kiln- 
catiou.  The  chairman  of  said  board  Bhall  be  8aperintendent  of  the 
Pnbllo  BchoolB  of  the  city."  The  board  was  empowered  to  examine 
and  appoint  teactn>re  and  to  build  school  houses.  At  the  next  mer-r- 
ing  of  the  Council.  J.  Lnnrnsier  Brent.  I>>w{b  Granger  and  Btephen 
C.  Foster  were  appoint^M)  a  Hoard  of  Education.  J.  T-nnca«ter  Brent, 


PI-  'NEEH  SCHOOL  SUPERINTRlf  DENTS 


77 


b.T  virtue  of  hU  nonlHon  ns  rhairnuin  of  tbo  board,  becomiiig  Super- 
intendent. 

In  May.  1^54.  Hon.  Rteplicn  C.  Tostor,  on  ftSBiimiog  tbc  oKve  oC 
Mayor,  in  bis  iiianjrnrnl  address,  said:  '•First  in  imponanee  among 
the  Deeds  of  our  city  is  education.  Our  last  census  s)iow«  morf  than 
500  cbildn.'u  witbin  the  vorpomte  limits  of  age  to  attend  solinoi,  three- 
fourths  of  whom  liave  no  means  of  procuring  an  education  other  than 
tluit  afforded  bv  tht?  public  schools."'  lie  urjjed  tbe  oruanization  of  a 
Board  of  Education  to  uiaua{>:e  the  s<-bools.  the  appointment  of  a 
Superitendeut,  and  the  building  of  two  s^rhool  bouses  couvenieutly 
located. 

At  the  next  meeting  of  the  Council  an  ordinance  was  presented 
and  pusHed,  prtividiug  for  the  appointment  hy  ttte  City  Council  of 
tliriH-  school  trustees  or  conmiissioners.  a  8U[>erintendeut  and  a  school 
marshal. 

At  a  nieetine  of  the  City  Council,  held  May  20.  1S54,  Lewbi 
Orai.per,  a  member  of  the  Council  mov(sl  that  Stephen  C.  Foster  be 
appointed  Citv  SmMTiiitcodcut  of  Common  Krhoola.  Manuel  Re- 
quenn,  Frnnris  Melius  and  \V.  T.  B.  Kanford,  trustees,  and  G.  W. 
Cole,  school  marshal.  The  appointments  were  confirmed.  Thus  the 
ila.vor  of  the  cit»  became  its  first  School  Superintendeut,  and  three 
of  the  seven  members  of  the  Council  constituted  its  Rrnt  Board  of 
Education. 

Thi;  duties  of  Huperiutendent,  as  defined  in  the  ordinance,  were 
"to  examinp  all  pei'sons  wishing  to  teach  In  the  comouou  schools 
nitliiij  rhe  i-ity.  tii  CTant  certificates  of  apprnbatiou  to  such  as  are 
well  iiimliJied  moi-allv  and  intellectually  to  teach,  and  to  revoke  cer- 
|{fi(ates  for  caase;  to  visit  tbe  schools  monthly,  making  such  snggea- 
tions  for  the  improvement  and  welfare  of  the  schools  as  he  may 
think  projier.  and  to  bold  a  public  examination  once  a  year."'  The 
school  board  and  the  superint^-ndent  set  vigorously  to  work  to  secure 
the  erection  of  a  school  building.  Befniv  the  close  of  the  school 
ycai',  scboolhonse  No.  1.  located  on  the  norlbweat  corner  of  Spnng 
and  Second  streets,  on  the  lot  now  occupied  by  the  Bryson  Block 
and  the  old  <'itv  ITall.  was  completed  and  occupied.  11  was  a  two- 
story  brick  building,  and  cost  in  the  neighborhood  of  $(>(MIO.  It  was 
well  out  in  the  suburbs  then,  the  center  of  population  at  that  time 
being  in  (be  iieigbborbmid  of  the  Plaza.  To  Stephen  C.  Foster  b^^ 
longs  the  credit  of  inangni-jiting  tln:-  public  school  system  of  our  city, 
and  to  him  is  due  the  honor  of  lieiug  its  firat  School  Supei-iutendent, 
(J.  Lancaster  Brent  was  Buperinteudeut  ex-«fllcio,  only.j 


79         HISTO/flCAL  SOCISTY  OF  SOUTHERN  CAUFORNIA. 

From  l853to  1866,  the  Common  Council  appointed  the  members  of 
the  Board  of  Edacation  aiid  the  School  Superintendents.  The  board 
in  early  times  being  a  creation  of  the  Council  it  would  aaturall.v  be 
supposed  that  the  relations  l>etweeo  the  two  bodies  would  be  har- 
monious. Ou  the  contrarj,  wo  And  the  relations  were  sometimes  so 
struined  that  they  snapped  aRiinder. 

In  the  minutes  of  the  Council  proceedings  for  July  7,  1856.  ap- 
pears this  resolution:  ''Ilesolved.  That  page  7  of  the  School  Oom- 
mlsaionera*  record  be  pasted  down  on  [uige  8,  so  that  the  indecorous 
language  written  therein  by  the  School  Commissioners  of  1S55  can 
nerer  again  be  read  or  seen,  said  language  being  coached  in  sncb 
terms  that  the  present  School  Commissioners  are  not  willing  to  use 
said  record."'  What  the  provocation  was  that  called  forth  such  vig- 
orous language  fom  the  memlx-rs  of  the  Board  of  Education  does 
not  appear.  Doubtless  the  City  Fathers  deserved  a  verbal  casUga- 
tion,  but  aa  they  had  their  innings  last,  they  Tindicated  tlteir  reputa- 
tions by  a  liberal  use  of  the  paste  [lot. 

From  1866  to  1870.  the  School  Boards  and  the  Superinteudents 
were  elected  by  popular  rote  at  the  city  election.  Id  1S70.  the  offlce 
was  discontinued.  The  city  in  school  affairs  at  that  lime  was  gOT- 
erned  by  three  trustees,  the  same  as  a  county  district.  There  was 
no  authority  in  the  school  taw  for  the  election  or  appointment  of  a 
Suiwrintendent.  In  1872.  a  special  act  of  the  Legislature  created  a 
City  Board  of  Education,  consisting  of  five  members,  and  gave  it 
power  to  appoint  a  Superintendent.  In  18*19.  the  new  charter  created 
a  boai-d  of  nine  members,  one  from  each  ward.  The  appointment  of 
the  Superiuteudent  and  assistant  remains  with  the  board. 

The  folloniuK  is  the  list  of  persons  who  have  tilled  the  ofQce  of 
SuiK'rintendeut  since  its  creation,  in  1851,  down  to  the  present  time- 
Stephen  C.Foster 1854  to  1855 

Dr.  William  B.  Osburn 18S5  to  1856 

Dr.  John  S.  Oriflln   1856  to  1867 

J.  Lancaster  Brent 1857  to  1858 

E.  J.  C.  Kewen 1858  to  1S59 

Hev.  W.  E.  Boardman 1859  to  1862 

A.  P.  Hinchman 1862  to  1863 

Ouitavos  L.  Mix 1863  to  1864 

B.  F.  Hayes 1864  to  1866 

Her.  Elia'e  Birdsell 1^5  to  1866 

Joseph  Huber.  8p. 1866  to  1887 


I 

I 
I 


PIONEER  SCHOOL  SUPERINTENDENTS.  n 

H.  I),  narrows 1867  to  1868 

Andrew   Glaaspll    1868  to  1869 

Dr.  T.  H.  Rose 1869  to  1870 

No  Superintendent 1870  to  1873 

Dr.  W.  T.  Lucky 1873  to  1876 

C.  H.  Kimball   1876  to  1880 

Mre.  C.  B.  Jonea 1880  to  1881 

J.  M.  Guinn 1881  to  1883 

L.  D.  fimlth 1883  to  18A5 

William  M.  Preisner 1883  to  1893 

Leroy  U.  Brown 1893  to  1894 

P.  W.  Search 1894  to  1895 

J.  A.  Foshav 1895  to 

The  pioneer  Superintendents  were  men  of  education  and  stand- 
ihK  in  Ihe  community.  Maoy  of  them  were  prominent  in  civic  affairs 
other  than  educational. 

Stephen  C.  Fo8t»,*  th«  first  Superintendent,  still 
living  at  a  ripe  old  age.  ts  a  graduate  of  Ynle  ('oUege.  Ho  baa 
filled  mau,v  city  ofllcee,  as  well  as  several  county  and  State  poBitiona. 
He  IB  the  beat  authority  eitaut  on  the  history  of  our  city  and  county, 
lie  has  been  identified  with  their  growth  and  progreflB  for  more  than 
half  a  century. 

Dr.  William  B.  OBburn.  the  second  City  Superintendent,  was  a  man 
of  versatile  genlutt  and  varied  attoiDments.  He  came  to  the  Coast 
in  1847,  as  hospital  steward  of  Co).  Stevenson's  regiment  of  New 
Vork  volunteers.  After  the  expiration  of  his  term  of  service,  he  lo- 
cated in  Los  Angeles.  He  had  a  penchant  for  pioneering.  He 
started  the  first  drug  store,  opened  the  first  auction  house,  estab- 
lished the  first  oureery  and  introduced  the  first  ornamental  trees  and 
ehubbery  into  Los  Angeles.  Ue  had  a  genius,  too,  for  office- hoi  ding. 
He  was  colleetively  Postmaster,  School  Supi  rintendent.  Coroner  and 
City  Marishal.  M'hether  it  watt  his  familiarity  with  letters,  or  hia 
exj^rience  in  a  nursery  that  suggested  to  the  Council  his  fitness  for 
School  Superintendent,  the  records  do  not  show.  The  doctor  was 
the  hero  of  one  of  the  famous  rides  of  history,  or  rather  he  would 
be  the  hero  had  the  ride  ever  gotten  Into  history.  A  Mexican  outlaw 
attempted  to  aseasfiinate  Jndp;e  Hays.  The  Sheriff,  his  deputy  and 
Osbnrn  followed  the  desperado  acro««  the  river  and  out  to  the  hills 
beyond  Boyle  Heights,  to  where  there  was  an  adobe  house,  the  resort 
of  outlaws.    As  the  trio  approached  the  house  in  the  darknesB  they 


H/STORiCAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOVTHEJtX  CAUFOMHtA, 


I 


mn  srwted  with  ■  roll^  from  the  kbds  of  tbr 
Tbf  doctor.  I«afii^  that  tbe  m«  nOey  ai^cC  ctesle  a  vacsacy  is 
tlie  «lltca  of  poatiawrw.  aebaol  — i^*iai!aJei.i.  coroarr  aad 
Manhal.  and  at  the  wmmt  tiaie  depcfre  the  rily  «l  a  paUclral  boob,  a 
,  Ju»rlfciiltsnat  aad  aa  a*ctMoc«r,  tonwd  hi*  borae*«  head  toward  the 
city  aad  fled.  The  depaty.  ■eoaf  the  doctor  depart,  followed  cftec, 
aad  the  aberifl.  ftodiiig  hw  'omm  faUiae  Utrk.  dA«br-i  aftrr  to  f«Uj 
theni. 

1W  doctor,  bearing  the  clatter  of  hoofi  foUowinc  aaiyoaed 
be  waa  paisaed  br  all  the  desperadoea  ia  the  lower  coantry.  aad  the 
dt-patT.  hearing  the  hoctfdmdanf  the flwrUTs  hone,  lliaighi  iDer 
«LT<>  after  him.  tooy  aad  ^latred  Ua  hone  oa  to  overtake  the  doctor. 
Wilder  and  more  fariou  becaaie  the  race.  The  doctor  ptaaged  1^ 
rowels  iDiu  hia  iteed  in  a  mad  effort  to  ^fff*irT*»  Ua  paiuaua>  the 
depctr,  with  whip  and  rein,  arsed  Ua  to  ereater  apeed  aad  the  laeaa 
n^tonded  with  tbtr  clatter  of  STiDg  boofa.  Tberp  waa  no  bridge 
acroai  the  rirer  in  tbom*  dars.  Tb«*  road  1*^  down  to  the  ford  throo^ 
a  narrow  cot.  The  doctor  in  hia  wild  haste  miaaed  the  road  aad 
went  orer  the  bank  into  the  sand  and  water  of  the  rirer.  The 
depntv.  like  Jilt  in  the  famoDB  nars*TT  rtrtnt  "came  ttunWiaff  after,** 
and  the  sheriff,  onable  to  rhe^k  Ibe  spec*!  af  hln  racer  plnnp^d  intu  ^ 
the  mingled  ma^  of  than  and  biuae.  f 

The  three  worthies  extricated  themaelm  from  tbnr  fallen 
atecda.  aad  faced  each  other  in  the  rirer  bed;  and  then  and  there  it 
waa  rerraled  to  each  who  was  tbi^  }iursoer  and  whn  was  the  poraued. 
Tber  stole  qoietlj  bark  to  the  ciij,  hot  the  atorr  of  the  fanuHU  ride^ 
like  "munler  will  oat." 

I>r.  John  6.  OrifBn,  third  in  soeceaaon  to  the  ottce  of  Citr  8a-  ^ 
pi-Hntf^dent  of  8chooIa,  still  lire*  in  the  citj,  a.  hale  old  man  of  $lf 
years-     lie  can>e  to  the  Coast  as  safgeon  on  Q«n.  Keamer's  staff  in 
1S46.     He  married  Miss  Louisa  Hayes,  the  first  principal    of    the 
girls'  depurimfnt  of  the  Bpring-street  school.     Bis  successor  in  oSce. 
J.  Lani-asttT  Ilreni.  was  an  attomer  and  a  nott-d  politician.     He  was 
thi*  leader  of  the  Rocewaters  in  the  political  faction  fights  of  forty 
years  ago.     He  went  Soath  at  the  breaking  oat  of  the  Ciril  War  and 
linked  his  fortune  with  the  Confederacy.       AMiat  his  sQbs4>qaent 
fortones  or  misfortnnea  were,  deponent  saith  not.    The  &fib  Soper- ^ 
intendent  k*&s  EL  J.  C.  Kew«*n.  an  .tttomev.    not**^  for  hl«  rlotitn^cf^.^ 
He  was  the  first  Attorvey-Cieneral  nf  California.     At  the  time  of  his 
appointment  be  bad  recently  returiked  from  flliboBtering  under  Wal- 


I 


p:onekr 


yoL  5tPitfi/iV7A.Vi'JffN3 


ker  in  Central  America.  His  mititarj  training  under  iLe  "Oraj-eyeU 
Jlau  or  UeutiJi.v"  wntt  doubtlo*»a  dfenifd  bv  the  Connril  no  oflscnfial 
reijuiaitt'  of  a  Superiutt'udertt  iu  tlie  da^'S  when  filibutiteriDg  was  re- 
garded as  a  legitimatt^  outlet  for  tht;  militar.v  ardor  of  the  young 
AngelpfioH. 

Ttn'  Ucv.  W.  E.  Boardmun,  a  Prestiyterian  plergyman,  auccwded 
Kewen,  niid  held  the  office  for  three  lemiB,  of  one  year  encb.  He 
wan  the  first  Siiijerintenderil  to  be  reelected.  The  early  CoimciU 
a;>imrentl.^  believed  in  rot.ii i'ni  II  iiHlee.  ;i'i]  ;r.iv-  a  Snpermteudent 
but  one  year  of  hnnor — as  to  eiuolumenta,  there  were  none  connected 
with  the  office.  Of  the  Bubsequeiit  history  of  Mr.  lloai'dmnti,  I  know 
nothing.  IIa%ing  experimented  in  Hehool  superviaion,  witli  law, 
niediriue  and  theology  in  about  equal  proportions,  the  Council  for  a 
time  took  a  practical  lum.  probably  in  response  to  the  public  de- 
mand for  practical  edacation,  and  appointed  busiueits  men  lo  tiie 
office. 

A.  F.  Hinchman  was  enpii^ed  iu  transportation  nnd  shipping 
at  the  time  of  his  iippoinlment.  His  snrreBBor,  O.  L.  Mix.  was  an 
acconntant,  clerk,  book-keet>er;  also  County  Assessor  and  a  general 
utility  man  in  the  clerical  line.  Then,  the  office  grayitated  back  to 
the  law,  and  for  a  time  it  was  alternately  taw  and  gospel  in  the 
schools.  Then  the  si-hoole  had  a  commercial  training  under  mer* 
chant  superintendents,  another  concesjiion  probably  to  the  demand 
for  a  business  education.  Then  the  legal  profession  had  one  more 
trial,  and  that  was  the  laat. 

II  was  not  until  lKti!>,  fifteen  years  uftr-r  the  office  was  created, 
that  a  teaclier,  Dr.  T.  H.  Rose,  was  elected  to  the  positjuu.  KoBe  was 
an  ex-physician.  He  bad  given  np  the  practice  of  medicine  and 
adopted  teaching  for  a  profession.  He  was  a  BUcceBsfnl  teacher. 
That  he  did  not  succeed  as  Hupt-rintendent  was  through  no  fault  of 
his.  At  that  time  the  sexes  were  educated  Hepiirately  in  the  higher 
grndi's  of  schools.  Dr.  Kose  was  principal  of  the  bo.ra*  grammar 
school,  and  there  was  a  lady  principal  of  the  girls'  grammar  school. 
The  relations  between  the  two  principals  were  strained  to  the  utmost 
before  Dr.  Rose's  election,  and  after  that  event  they  8nap[»ed  asunder. 
The  lady  principal  defied  his  authority  nnd  refus«'d  to  he  sniiervlscd. 
An  investigation  of  the  law  governing  the  schools  revealed  the  fact 
that  the  office  existed  in  name,  but  the  incnmheut  had  neither 
power  nor  authorhy  tu  enforce  his  det-rtH^s.  Ro  the  office  died  of  inani- 
tion and  the  schools  worrif-il  along  for  nearly  three  .'ivars  without  a 
Snperinteudent.  In  1S7.1,  Dr.  W.  T.  I^ncky.  a  professional  teacher, 
was  n[ipoiiited  by  the  Hoard  of  Kducatinn.  The  succeeding  Super- 
intendents have  all  been  selected  from  the  educational  ranks. 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  CAUFORSIA. 


every  Stale  and  Territory  of  our  eoimtry,  with  au  earnest  and  seaJoun 
memberabip  of  about  tweot^r  thcuaand  gentlemen,  ha8,  as  one  of  ita 
principal  olijecte  tbe  perpetuation  of  tfae  reeonln  of  those  whose  sac- 
rifiees  of  Wood  and  Ireawure,  wrtuted  from  the  most  powerful  nation 
of  the  earth,  an  empire  whittK'  natal  da,v.aH  an  independent  soverei^ty 
HTj  celebrate  this  evening."  H<  oiillined  some  of  the  needs  of  the 
pn^sent  time  that  demand  tlie  cultivation  of  pntriotiani  In  the  people. 
The  regent  of  the  EHt-bHefaoltzia  Chapter  of  the  Dnughti^rB  of  the 
American  Kevolutioii  made  a  short  address  on  behalf  of  that  organ- 
zatioo.  Tbe  cluHiui;  addresit  of  the  evening  was  delivered  Xty  Major 
J.  A.  Dounell,  bis  subject  being  "Old  and  New  England."  He 
traced  the  growth  of  tbe  sentiment  of  liberl.y  from  tbe  da.vs  of 
Magna  Charta  in  old  Kngtaud;  its  transfer  to  New  England  and  its 
expansion  and  development  in  the  new  world. 

A  number  of  valnable  donations  have  been  received  this  year. 
Among  tbe  most  valuable  of  these  are  bound  files  of  the  Los  .Angeles 
Daily  Htar.  beginning  July,  1873,  and  running  cousecutively  to  July, 
1877;  also  the  8an  Diego  Weekly  Bulletin  from  July,  1870.  to  Fet>- 
ruary,  1873.  and  the  Sacramento  Daily  Hecord,  from  December,  1873, 
to  March.  1874.  These  constitute  nine  large  volumes.  They  were 
donated  (o  tbe  society  by  Major  Ben  C  Truman,  who  was  editor 
and  publisher  of  the  Bulletin  and  the  Star  betweenthe  dates  men- 
tioiuHl.  The  society  returns  him  its  most  sincere  thanks  for  his  val- 
nable donation. 

The  volumes  of  the  Star  donated  by  Major  Truman  fill  a  break 
in  nnr  set  of  that  paper;  and  taken  in  connection  with  sets  of  other 
city  jiaperB  in  our  possession,  give  us  an  almost  unbmken  file  of  Loe 
Angeles  papers  from  July.  isri4,  down  to  tbe  present  time — the  most 
nearly  comidete  of  any  flle  in  existence. 

Dr.  J.  S.  Cowen  of  Fort  Jones,  Hiskiyou  county,  Cal.,  throagb 
Mr.  Xoab  Levering,  presented  to  the  society  a  number  of  Indian  relics 
for  which  the  society  returns  its  thanks. 

J.  M.  GUINN,  Secretary: 


SECRETARY'S  REPORT. 


idoeBS  to  the  bistorical  referenceB  of  the  sppafcera  who  dealt  with  the 
Uolden  State's  first  Fourth  of  July.        , 

"As  an  iutroducti>r,v  measure,  a  quartette,  consiBting  of  Misses 
Edna  Foy,  Beatrice  Kobler,  Vella  Knox  and  Harah  Siiuonds,  played 
Schubert's  "Murche  Militaire,"  which  was  enthusiastii^ally  received. 
"After  this  iiiuHicai  cull  to  order,  Dr.  J.  D.  Moody  in  a  few  iu- 
troductory  remarks  spcke  of  the  peculiar  interest  of  the  present  day. 
Jnat  fifty  years  ago  today  the  Urst  Fourth  of  July  was  celebrated  in 
Southern  California  by  Col.  Stevenson  and  his  aoldiers.  It  was 
especially  litting  at  this  half-century  date  to  celebrate  In  proper 
form  the  anniversary  of  that  eveut.  It  is  the  duty  and  work  of  the 
Ilistorlcal  Society  to  preserve  all  data  beuriiig  upon  such  occasions, 
and  it  is  fortunately  in  possession  of  a  perfect  treasure  house  of  his- 
torical information,  upon  wLich  the  present  and  future  generation 
will  satisfy  their  hunger  for  knowledge.  Then  referring  to  the  pe- 
culiar interest  of  the  day  celebrated,  and  especially  on  this  occasion 
from  the  Califoruiairs  standpoint.  Dr.  Moody  introduced  J.  M.  Guinn, 
secretary  of  the  Ilistorical  Society,  who  gSLVG  an  extremely  interest- 
ing  address  on  "July  4.  1S47,"  in  which  he  reviewed  from  a  historical 
standpoint  the  events  leading  1o  the  conquest  of  California.  He 
gave  a  description  of  of  Che  building  of  old  Fort  Moore  on  Fort  Hill, 
in  this  city,  where  the  Fourth  of  July  was  first  celebrated  in  Califor- 
nia, He  described  the  celebration — the  soldiers  drawn  up  in  a  hol- 
low square  and  the  native  Califomians  seate<i  on  their  horses  be- 
yond. The  Declaration  of  Independence  was  read  in  Spanish  by 
Stephen  C.  Foster  for  the  benefit  of  the  newly-niade  citizens,  and  in 
English  by  ('apt.  Stnart  Taylor.  A  salute  was  fired  from  the  guns  of 
the  fort  and  the  day  closed  with  a  ball." 

After  the  singing  of  the  "Ked,  White  and  Blue"  by  Cnpt.  J.  A.  Os- 
good, in  the  chorus  of  which  the  audience  joined  heartily,  Col.  8.  O. 
Houghton  was  introduced.  His  subject  was  "California  Fifty  Years 
Ago."  Col.  Houghton  came  to  the  Coast  as  adjutant  of  Col.  Steven- 
son's regiment  of  New  York  Volunteers,  landing  in  California  in 
March,  1847.  He  described  the  conntry  and  the  manners  and  cus- 
toms of  the  people  as  he  saw  them  fifty  years  ago.  He  related  a 
number  of  his  early  pf^raotial  experiences  which  lent  local  color  to 
bis  reminiscences.  His  address  was  exceedingly  intc  resting. 
a  Holdridge  O.  Collins,  ])re8ident  of  the  California  Society,  Sons 

I  of  the  RpvoliiitioD,  delivered  au  interesting  and  instructive  address 

I         on  the  purposes  and  work  of  that  society.    He  introduced  his  subject 
I  by  saying:  "The  society  of  Sons  of  the  Revolution,  existing  in  nearly 


86  HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA. 

APBIL. 

Don  David  W.  Alexander H.  D.  Barrows 

"Camjiin};  iu  Yoseniile*' Dp.  Kate  C.  Mood^ 

MAY. 

"A  Study  of  Caraivala" Dr.  J.  D.  Moody 

"Got.  Felipe  de  Neve" H.  U.  BatrowB 

JUNE. 
"Tire  Saiila  Barbara  Indians Dr.  Stephen  Bowers,  A.  M.,  Tta.  D. 

JULY. 
"Old  Port  Moore" J.  M.  Guiun 

0(rroBER. 

BiographJCAl  Sketch  of  Dr.  Wm.  F.  Edgar H.  D.  Barrows 

"The  California  Indians" Prof.  A.  E.  Teres 

"Pioneer  Bcbool  BnperintendeutB  of  Los  Angeles J.  M.  Guina 

NOVEMBER. 

'•Echoes  of  the  Revolution Dr.  J.  D.  Moody 

"The  Cantilever  Bridge  of  the  Colorado. -Mrs.  M.  Burton  Williamson 
"Our  Society's  Fourteenth  Birtiiday" J.  M.  Goiiin 

DECEMBER. 
"Two  Notable  Pioneers,  Col.  J.  J.  Ayers  and  George  Hansen, 

H.  D.  Barrows 

B««pectfully  submilted. 

H.  D.  BARROWS, 
J.  M.  GUINN, 
R    L.  ASHLEY, 
Coouaittee  on  PublicatioD. 


CURATOR'S    REPORT. 

Whole  number  of  bonud  volutQes 845 

Number  of  ptimphtets  and  paper-covered  bookB 3755 

Number  of  daily  ihii>pi8  received  and  filed  for  bindtug 5 

Nomber  of  weekly  newHpaperB 5 

Number  of  monthly  oiagazinee 6 

Number  of  quarterlies. 7 

The  HOL-iety  has  a  large  i-oIlectioQ  of  curios,  relics,  pictures,  pho- 
tographs, antograpKhs.  maps  and  (<puuiHh  docuuieutB.  Ou  acuoant  uf 
the  cramped  iuid  iuadiH]uate  <.)iiarter8  in  which  the  Boolety  fa  com- 
pelled to  store  its  library  and  other  historical  material  (not  haviug 
the  meana  to  procure  more  suitable  rooms,)  its  collectioQ  has  oot 
beeu  cla«iHtied  and  catalogued.  A  large  amount  of  our  material  is 
boxed  op  and  is  not  (easily  accessible.  We  keep  addiuK  to  our  col- 
lection; and  we  live  in  hopeti  that  some  liberal-mindrd  donor  mnj 
lometime  in  the  future  donate  us  the  means  to  fit  up  an  historical 
musenm.  J.  M.  GUINN,  Curator. 


1897. 
Feb'T  5- 

Mch  33 


TREASURER'S    REPORT. 

Jan'y  4,  189?,  to  Jan'y  3.  1898. 

RECIIPTS. 

—Balance  on  hand  as  per  Treasurer's  Report  of  this  date. .   $85  45 

Dues  paid  to  Jan'y  3,  1898 46  65 

Membership  fees 10  00 

1898.  

Total  receipts   $141  10 

CISilURSEMENTS. 

—  Printing  Annual $82  00 

Rent  and  gas,  January  and  February  meetings  i  50 
Expenses  of    March   meeting   and    entertaiO' 

ment 5  90 

Secretary's  expenses,  vi2.,  postage,  envelopes, 

paper  and  posul  cards 9    15 

Express  and   drayagc *  ^5 

Janitor's  services  cleaning  Society  rooms ... .  i  50 

Lock  and  repairs  on  mail  box 75 

Binding  j  volumes  Societjr's  publications a   10 

Balance  on  hand 36  95 

$143  10 — $143  10 

Balance  on  hand $36  95 

E.  BAxrcR,  Treasurer, 


PIONEER  REGISTER. 


Pioneei^s  of  Cos  T^ngeles  Gow^jf, 


OFFICERS  OF  THE  SOCIETY. 
1897-98. 

BOARD  OF   DIRECTORS. 
B.  S.  Eaton  Loms  Rokdbx 

J.  U.  GKirrtTH  J.  M.  Gunnr 

Wm.  H.  Womuun  H.  D.  BAUton 

HsHmr  W.  0*Mklvknt 

OFFICERS. 
B.  S.  Eatom         _-_---__         Prcadent 
J.  H.  Gsirrrni      ------  First  Vke-Prestdent 

Wm.  H.  Wokkmak  -----       Second  Vke-Prendent 

Louis  RoKDEK        --__---_      Treftsarer 
J.  IL  GuiNM        --------  Secretaxy 

COMMITTEE  ON   MEMBERSHIP. 

J.  W.  Giujtm  Wh.  FuGusmi 

August  Scbmtot 

FINANCE  COMMITTEE. 

HfAACK   HlLLER  D.   G.   SiKPHKMS 

JOKL  B.  Pakeek 


PIONEERS  OF  LOS  ANGELES  COUNTY. 


HISTORICAL  SKETCH  OP  THE  ORQANIZATION. 


BY   J.   M.    CUINM. 

Althongh  the  6P8t  discorery  of  gold  wae  made  within  the  preeent 
llmit«  of  Los  ADgelea  couDty,  and  the  first  miuere'  rutth  thati  ever 
took  place  OD  the  Pacific  Coaat  was  to  the  gold  jilacerci  of  the  Sierra 
Madre  foothills,  yet  but  very  few  of  the  ArgouautH  located  in  Lou 
Angeles.  The  emigration  to  Callforuia  by  the  suutheru  routes  ucrofls 
thv  plaiDB  brought  thousanda  of  gold  seekerB  into  Lo«  Angeles. 
Their  stay  here  was  brief;  they  hurried  on  to  the  gold  ftelda  of 
Northern  California.  Lofi  Angeles  waa  contemptuouNly  spoken  ot  as 
a  cow  county.  Tier  genial  climate  and  fertile  soil  had  no  attractions 
for  men  who  were  not  looking  for  climate  and  who  bad  no  use  for 
any  bdII  not  mixed  with  gold  dust. 

From  the&e  causeef  piotieerei  of  the  early  American  era  have 
never  been  a  numerouH  claaa  in  Lou  AngeleH.  Ho  attempt  seems  to 
have  been  made  in  early  days  to  form  u  Society  of  Pioneers  similar 
to  the  Bocietiee  formed  in  San  Frnncisro,  Bacrameoto.  Stockton,  Ban 
JoB^  and  other  cities  and  towna  of  Northern  and  Ontral  California. 
About  ten  years  ago  an  organization  was  efTwted  of  persons  wno 
came  to  California  previous  to  its  admission  as  a  State,  lion.  B.  S. 
Eaton  was  the  president  and  Francis  Baker,  secretary.  The  mem- 
bership was  small,  and  the  society  after  a  brief  existence  dissolved. 
There  were  not  enough  pioneers  of  the  class  entitled  by  its.  rules  to 
membership  to  support  a  society. 

For  several  years  past  the  question  of  forming  a  Pioneer  So- 
ciety or  an  Old  Settlers'  Association  has  been  diBcussed  by  old- 
timers,  but  no  deQuite  action  was  taken  toward  forming  such  an  or* 
ganization  until  the  2d  of  August,  1897,  when  in  reH[K»j8e  to  au  edi- 
torial in  the  Daily  Herald  and  an  invitation  sent  toi  some  of  the  old 
residents,  a  meeting  was  held  on  the  afternoon  of  the  above  date  in 
^  the  business  office  of  the  Herald  (then  located  on  Third  striH?t,  in  the 

I  Bradbury  Block,)  to  take  the  proliminary  steps  toward  forming  a 
I  Pioneer  society.  There  were  present  J.  M.  Griffith,  A.  h.  Both,  H. 
I  H.  8.  Orme,  M.  Teed,  J.  M.  Elliott,  J.  W.  Gillette,  J.  M.  Ouinn,  H. 


mSIOMiCAL  SOCZETT  Of  sotrrsE±sf 


4at«a4  W.J 

flf  tke 
M.  0«in,  Or.  H.  BL  Ora 
W.  OVeHoj  n4  a  & 
OiUUkf 


W.  Qmrtte.  J. 


Or.  J. 


J.M. 


of  tke 


neat  af  the  i  flWee.  J. 
W.  GiDrtte,  H.  W.  CnM^ 


AsfHl  S,  lar,  ia  iiiyiiMi   to  as  Miilaiiaa  fraa  Bew7  W. 
<Wfalif^,  Em|-,  the  Goanittee  «■ 
•f  tW  Ckttforaia  Clat.  Wilrax  Block;  pi 
It  GriStk  Bu  &  Ectoa.  H.  D.  Barrwwa,  J 
nsj.  J.  yL  0«in  and  H.  &  Orse. 

Oa  BOtiaa  of  J.  M.  Gnaa,  Jadfv  B.  &  Batoa  «a»  elcvtai 
BOL  Ob  ■otioa  «(  Dr.  H.  &  Omc,  J.  M.  Qaiaa  wm  rhnia  aeoc- 
lary.  Oa  astS«i  «r  J.  W.  omrtte,  'IFke  SoeieO'  of  PImhh  of  Loi 
Aaiceiea  Coaatj^  vaa  wlerted  aa  the  aame  of  tbe  orgaahatioa.  B. 
W.  OTIdwy  —red  ttot  pmnM  arriri^  ia  the  ««M<y  af  Lao  Am- 
griqi  m  or  facfofv  Deeoaber  SI,  1870,  be  eoaoMoed  *Wt*M*  to 
twrahlp.  Tbe  motioo  wu  opcvAdpd.  sad  aftpr  eoarideraUe 
CMA,  ca^nso. 

Oa  nuiHoB,  B.  8.  Eatoo,  H.  D.  Barrow  and  J.  M.  Gaiaa 
appoiotpd  a  ■ab-roaim)tr««  to  draft  a  coiurtiiiitiao  and  br-laws  aad 
Mboiit  tlw  Mine  for  tbe  approraJ  of  the  iceneraU  conmittee  al  a 
■eetiaf  to  be  held  Aognet  10.  J.  31  Oriffitfa  icrited  the  comiuitte* 
sad  reportem  of  the  dailj  papers  preoent  to  joiii  him  in  a  dicoer  at 
the  club  rooms  OD  the  ereniaf  of  the  loth.    Adjoenked. 

Aai^st  10,  the  coaunitte^  met  in  the  dob  rooms,  and  after  par- 
tafcing  of  a  aaoiptnooa  dtatner  giren  b^  lion.  J.  M.  GrillBth  proceeded 
to  boaincM.  Pnaent  of  the  coounittee:  J.  H.  Grifflth,  B.  8.  Eatoo, 
J.  W.  Oillette,  H.  D.  BarrowiL  J.  H.  Oaina  aad  H.  g.  Orme. 

The  ■ah-committee  ^ipointed  at  the  prerioas  meeting  sobmitted 
a  draft  of  a  constitatjon  and  bj-laws.  The  eonunittee  reconeaded 
for  the  name  of  the  orpanization.  'Tionwrs  of  Los  Angles  Goonty." 
and  tbat  tbo  time  of  rmidence  In  the  conntj  to  render  a  person  eligi- 
ble to  membership  be  fixed  at  twenty-llTe  jeara.  It  was  ar^ned  that 
bf  adopting  ■  morable  date  for  elif^bilitT  to  membership  the  society 
voald  continue  to  grow,  whereas  if  a  fixed  date  was  adopted  the  to- 


HisroRTci 


SKETCH. 


9< 


oiety  would  beglo  to  decline  as  soon  aa  all  eligible  had  been  enrolled. 
Tb«  coDStitution  and  by-laws,  after  a  few  changes,  were  adopted  by 
the  full  committee.  It  was  decided  to  call  a  meeting  of  persons  eligi- 
ble to  membership  under  the  clause  of  the  confltitntion  juet  adopted 
to  assemble  in  the  hall  of  the  Chamber  of  Commerce,  September  ^ 
1KU7,  nt  H  p.m.,  for  the  purpose  of  adopting  u  eoiiMlitution  and  by- 
laws, electing  officers  and  otherwise  completing  tbe  organization. 

At  the  meetiug  of  September  4,  twenty-four  perflons  were  pres- 
ent, and  signed  the  roll  and  paid  the  annual  fee.  The  constitution 
and  by-laws  prepared  by  the  Ooromittee  on  Organization  were  sub- 
mitted, and,  after  a  few  ohongea,  adopted.  The  folluwingnamed 
persons  were  chosen  a  Board  of  Directors:  Louis  Roeder,  W.  H. 
Workman,  H.  D.  Barrows,  J.  M.  Griffith,  B.  8.  Eaton,  H.  W.  O'Mel- 
Teny  and  J.  M.  Guinn.  The  directors  then  proceeded  to  elect  the 
officers  of  the  society  from  their  number.  B.  S.  Eaton  was  chosen 
president,  J.  M.  Griffith,  first  vice  president;  W.  H.  Workman,  second 
vice-president;  J.  M.  Gninn,  secretary,  and  Louis  Roeder,  treasurer. 
At  the  meeting  of  October  4,  ninety-six  appllcattons  were  received. 
It  was  decided  to  keep  the  roll  of  charter  members  open  to  and  in- 
olnding  the  first  meeting  in  January,  1898.  When  the  charter,  or 
founders'  roll,  closed  on  January  4,  1898,  180  members  had  been  en- 
rolled in  the  organization. 


PIONEERS  OF   LOS  ANQELES   COUNTY. 


CONSTITUTION. 


[Adopted  September  4.  1897.] 

ARTICLE  I. 

This  society  Bball  be  know  uas  The  Pioneers  of  I^oe  Angeles 
Coiint.v.  ItH  objfcts  are  to  cultivate  social  iuterconree  and  friend- 
ship among  its  merobcra  and  to  collect  and  preserve  the  earl;  history 
of  Lob  Angeh>a  rountj,  and  perpetuate  the  memorj  of  those  who, 
by  their  honorable  labors  and  heroism,  helped  to  make  that  history. 

ARTICLE  II. 
All  persons  of  good  moral  character,  thirtyfive  years  of  age 
or  over,  who,  at  the  date  of  their  application,  shall  have  resided  at 
least  tnenty-flTe  years  in  Los  Angeles  county,  shall  be  eligible  to 
membership.  (Note. — At  the  meeting  of  January  4,  1898.  it  was  dc- 
eided  by  a  vote  of  the  sof^'ietv  ihat  pei'sous  born  in  the  state  ate 
not  eligible  to  membership.) 

ARTICLE   in. 

The  offieers  of  this  society  shall  consist  of  a  board  of  seven  di- 
rectors, to  be  elected  annually  at  the  annual  meeting,  by  the  mem- 
bers of  the  sooiety.  Baid  directors  when  elected  shall  choose  a 
president,  a  ftrst  vice-president,  a  second  vice-president,  a  secretary 
and  u  treasurer.  The  secretary  and  treasurer  may  be  elected  from 
the  members  outside  the  Board  of  Directors. 

ARTICLE   IV. 
The   annn.il    meeting    of  this  society  shall  be  held  on  the  fourth 
day  of  Seplember.  that  being  the  annirersary  of  the  first  cirlc  set- 
tlement in  the  soQtbem  portioD  of  Alta  California,  to-vit,  the  found- 
ing of  the  Pueblo  of  Los  Angeles,  September  4, 1781. 


CONSTITUTION  AND  BY-LAWS. 


» 


AKTICLE  V. 
Members  guilty  of  miBuuDduct  may,  upon  conviction,  after 
proper  investigatioD  bnj  been  held,  be  expclli-d,  aiispendcd.  flned  or 
reprimanded  by  a  vote  of  two  thirds  of  the  mu-rabcrs  prea>Tit  at  any 
stated  meeting;  provided,  notice  ehall  have  been  given  to  the  society 
at  leoBt  one  month  prior  to  anob  Intended  action.  Any  officer  of  tbit 
Bociety  may  be  removed  by  the  Board  of  Directors  for  oause;  pro- 
vided, that  euoh  removal  ahall  not  become  permanent  or  finai  until 
approved  by  a  majority  of  members  of  the  society  present  at  a  Btateu 
meeting  and  voting. 

ARTICLE  VI. 
Amendments  to  this  constitution  may  be  made  by  sabmitting 
the  same  in  writing  to  the  Itonrd  of  Dirertora  at  It-uat  one  nioiith  prior 
to  the  annnal  meeting.  At  said  annnal  meeting  said  proposed  amend- 
ments shall  be  sobmitted  to  a  vote  of  the  society.  If  said  amend- 
mentB  Hbail  receive  a  two-thirds  vote  of  all  members  present  and  vot- 
ing, the  same  shall  be  declared  adopted. 


[Adopted  September  4.  1697.] 

Section  1.  All  members,  of  this  society  who  shall  have  signed 
the  constitution  and  bylaws,  or  who  shall  have  been  duly  elected 
to  membership  after  the  adoption  of  the  constitution  and  bylaws 
shall  be  entitled  to  vote  at  all  meetings  of  the  society. 

Section  2.  The  annual  dnca  of  each  member  shall  be  one  dollar, 
payable  in  advance. 

Section  3.  Each  person  on  admission  to  membertihip  shall  sign 
the  constitution  and  by-laws  with  bis  or  her  name  iu  full,  together 

with  bis  or  ber  place  of  birth.,  age,  realdence,  occupation  and  the  day, 
I  month  and  year  uf  his  or  her  arrival  with  In  the  limits  of  Los  Angeles 
I  county. 

I  Section  4.    At  the  annnal  meeting,  the  president  shall  appoint 

I         a  committee  of  three  on  membership.    He  shall  also  at  the  same  time 
I         appoint  a  committee  of  three  on  finance.    All  applications  for  mem- 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA. 

bership  BbatI  be  referred  to  the  Committee  on  M^nbershlp  forexata- 
iualiou. 

BectioD  5.  Erery  applicant  for  membership  shall  be  rec<Hn- 
mended  by  two  members  of  the  society  in  good  standing.  The  appli- 
cation shall  state  the  applieaut's  full  name,  age,  birthplace,  place  of 
residence,  occupation  and  date  of  his  or  her  orriral  in  the  count? 
of  Lob  Angelefl. 

Section  6,  Each  application  must  be  acfompantwl  by  the  an- 
nual fee  (one  dollar,)  and  shall  lie  over  for  one  month,  when  a  vote 
•hall  t>e  taken  by  ballot.  Three  negattre  votes  shell  cause  the  rejec- 
tion of  the  applioant. 

Section  7.  Any  person  eligible  to  membership  may  be  elected 
a  life  member  of  this  society  on  the  payment  to  the  treasurer  of  92S. 
Life  members  shall  enjoy  all  the  privileges  of  active  members,  bot 
shall  not  be  rrquirf-d  to  pay  annual  dues. 

Section  8.  The  Finance  Committee  shall  examine  all  acconnts 
against  the  society,  and  no  bill  shall  be  paid  by  the  trea«Drcr  udIms 
approved  by  a  majority  of  the  Finance  Committee.  ^ 

Section  9.    Whenever  a  vacancy  in  any  oCBce  of  this  society  oo-    f 
curs,  th\?  Board  of  Uirttctors  Hhall    cnii    a    meeting    of    the    society 
within  thirty  days  thereafter,  when  said  vacancy  shall  be  filled  by 
election  for  the  reminder  of  the  unexpired  term. 

Section  10.  WTienever  the  Board  of  Directors  shall  he  satisfied 
that  osy  worthy  member  of  the  society  Is  unable  for  the  time  being 
to  pay  the  annual  dues,  as  hereinbefore  prescribed,  it  shall  have  the 
power  to  remit  the  same. 

Section  11.  The  stated  meetings  of  this  society  shall  be  held  on 
the  first  Tuesday  of  each  month,  except  the  mouth  of  September, 
when  the  annual  meeting  shall  take  the  place  of  the  monthly  meeting. 
Special  meetings  may  be  called  by  the  president,  or  by  a  majority  of 
the  Board  of  Directors,  but  no  business  shall  be  transacted  at  such 
special  meeting  except  that  epeoifled  in  the  oalL 

Section  12.  Changes  and  amondmontH  of  these  by-laws  mar  be 
made  by  submitting  the  same  in  writing  to  the  Board  of  Directors 
at  least  one  month  prior  to  any  stated  meeting.  Said  proposed 
amendments  shall  be  submitted  to  a  vote  of  the  society.  If  said 
ameuduicnlit  shall  receive  a  two-thirds  vote  of  all  members  preaent 
and  voting,  the  same  shall  be  declared  adopted. 


I 

I 

I 


i. 


^^P           ROLL  OF  CHARTER  MEMBERS. 

I 

Nune. 

Ag«. 

Birthplace.    OcDpa'a. 

Ar.  in  Co. 

Res.    Ar.  1b  Slate.          ^ 

Ahtrncthjf.Wm,  B., 

59 

Uisaonri 

Merchant 

Apr '71 

617  W.  9th 

1853            ■ 

AbetQcthy,  Ij«urm  G 
A<r*n.  Junes  J.  • 

46 

Iowa 

Apr  ■;» 
Aug  i8/7a 

617  W.  9th 
Aznaa 

1866            ■ 

67 

Scotland 

Editor 

1849            H 

•  Dl«d  Nov    lo,  tU) 

H 

Btth.  Albert  h. 

68 

Nora  Scotia  Retired 

1871 

500  W.  3th  St 

1851       H 

B«ker,  Pruida 

69 

Maa*. 

Speculator   Sep  t7.'3r 

1333  Wright  at 

1R49       H 

Bazclt*.  John  H. 

54 

Canada 

Carpenter 

Aug  '71 

Fernando 

1869       ■ 

^^K  Barrowa,  Ilenrr  V. 

7a 

CODD. 

Retired 

Dec  I3,'54  734  Beacon 

1359       H 

^^V  BuTOwi.  Jamei  A. 

67 

Coun. 

ReUrcd 

May '68 

236  JefTerton 

1868       ■ 

Bayer,  Jowph 

31 

German; 

Oil  Prodt»cer July 4/70 

746  Broadway 

1868       ■ 

Bilderbeck,  Hrs.I>or«j5 

Ky. 

Dressmaker  Jan  t4.'6l 

31?  N.  HiU 

l8«l            ■ 

Bent,  Heorr  K.  W. 

66 

Haas. 

Retired 

Oct.  '98 

Claremont 

tSsS             H 

Blxbj.  Jotbjua 

66 

Maine 

Capitallat 

June  '66 

Long  Beach 

I8S8     ^M 

Bicknell.  Jaha  D. 

59 

Vt. 

Attorney 

May  -73 

336  S.  Hill 

1S68     ^H 

Bouton,  Bdvud 

93 

New  York 

Real  Estate  Aug  '66 

769  Castelar 

1868      ^H 

Brode,  Charles 

... 

Germany 

Merchant 

Jan  19,69 

1229  S  Olive 

H 

^^K  Bramner.  Sig . 

5» 

Germany 

Uuilder 

Nov  28,-68 

139  Wilm'n 

1867       H 

^B  Buab,  Charles  H. 

6a 

Penn. 

Jeweler 

March  '70 

318  N.  Main 

1870       H 

W        Burnt,  Jamea  F. 

66 

New  York 

Agent 

Nov  1 8,  "53 

15a  Wright 

1853       H 

1         Bnttcrfield.  S.  H 

49 

Pen  a. 

Farmer 

Aug '69 

Burbank 

t&68           ■ 

1          Ca*irel),  Wm.  U. 

40 

California 

Cashier 

Aug  3, '67 

1093  £  Wash. 

1857      _B 

1          Conkelman,  Bemart! 

65 

Germany 

Retired 

}»n  3/67 

310  S.  L.  A.  St 

1864    ^H 

'          Cohn,  Kfl«]MU-e 

38 

Germany 

Merchant 

Dec '59 

lilt  S.  HiU 

1^59     ^^1 

CHmiQiiMi  John 

46 

Ireland 

Mast  Plumb  March  '69  is;  W.  3Sth 

1869        V 

Crawford.  J.  S. 

60 

N.  Y. 

Dentiat 

1866 

Downey  Blk 

1858    ^^ 

Craig,  Junci 

56 

Irelaod 

aril  Bng' 

r  April  -69 

Lamanda 

1868    ^H 

Curlier.  A.  T. 

57 

Maine 

Farmir 

Jnly  I,  '69  Spadrm 

i86j      ^H 

Daltoo,  W.  T. 

5» 

Ohio 

Fruit  Gro'er  i8ji 

1900  Cen'l  Ave  1851           H 

Oavla.  A.  B. 

57 

N.  V. 

Saparrlsor 

Not '65 

3904  Ver  Ave 

1857           ■ 

Dftvii,  John 

S7 

N.  V. 

Carpenter 

April  '73 

University 

1673           ■ 

IJooner.  P.  W. 

S3 

Canada 

lyawyer 

May  i.'7» 

848  S.  Bro*d*y 

1S73           ■ 

Doba,  Fred 

51 

Germany 

CapiUllKt 

Sept '69 

614  B-  First  St 

l8S8      ^H 

QodMn.  Wm.  R. 

56 

Arkansas 

Hotel  k'p'r 

Sept  '68 

El  Monte 

1868    ^H 

Dotter,  John  C. 

60 

Germany 

Merchant 

June  30,'59  608  Temple 

1859   ^B 

Detmond,  D. 

63 

Ireland 

Merchant 

Sept  a, '69 

937  S.  Hill 

1868       ■ 

Desmond,  C.  C. 

P 

Maaa. 

Merchant 

Sept  '70 

7x4  Corooado 

1870       ■ 

Dunkelbcrger.  I.  R, 

65 

Pa. 

Retired 

Jan*66 

t3i8  W.  9th 

1866      ■ 

DunUp,  J.  D. 

7a 

N.  H. 

Kin« 

Not '59 

Silverado 

i8so           ■ 

Drrdeo,  Wm . 

61 

N.  Y. 

Farmer 

May  '66 

Loa  Angeles 

I 

Eatoa,  Beoj.  S. 

73 

Conn' 

Manafact't 

tfist 

433  Sherman  at                 ^| 

Eaton,  Frederick 

43 

CalifomU 

Civil  Kog'r 

1855 

460  West  l«ke  1855           H 

Bbiiiger,  Louis 

53 

Germany 

Uerchaut 

Oct  9, '7 1 

J 

98          HISTORICAL  SOCTSTY  OF  SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA.   ^^^H 

SUiott,  J.  H. 

5a 

S.C. 

Banker 

Koe  '70 

Alhambra          1S70       V 

Po«ter,  Slqihen  C* 

78 

Maloe 

RcUrcd 

March  33,' 

17  331  B  SeMDd.  1846 

PlcUhmati.  UmrjJ. 

^5 

Catirornia 

Cashier 

July  5.  -ea 

aai  W,  Fourth  i86j 

Foy,  S*muel  C. 

67 

1).  C. 

Merchant 

March  '54 

651  S.  Pigr'o*  l8jz 

Pofguaon,  Wo. 

66 

Aikaaaat 

Retired 

April  '69 

303  S    Hill        1850 

Fnrrey.  Wm.  C. 

5J 

N.  Y. 

Merchant 

Aug   7* 

1 103  Ingraham  1865 

•  Died  Jan.  77.  iS^. 

Oanj,  Thonut  A. 

67 

Ohio 

NU'acryman  Octi4,'33 

aSaa  Maple  AviSs> 

Gamy,  Richard 

58 

Ireland 

Farmer 

Dec  -58 

San  Gabriel       1858 

Gagt,  BcDfj  T. 

44 

N.  Y. 

Attorney 

Ang  '73 

1146W.  38tb     1873 

Gillette.  J.  W. 

60 

N.  Y. 

Inspector 

May  '6a 

533  Temple       1858 

OiUette.Urt.B.  S. 

43 

Illinois 

Housewife 

Aug '68 

33a  Temple       1864 

Goold   Will  D. 

5> 

Vt. 

Attorney 

Feb  a8.'7a 

Beaodry  At       1S7) 

GluMll,  Andrew 

67 

Va. 

Attorney 

Dec '65 

353  Buena  Vis  1853 

Gollmer,  Cbarlca 

47 

Germany 

Merchant 

1868 

1510  Flower       tA6A 

GibKn,  Frmok  A. 

46 

Iowa 

Banker 

Dec  r,'73 

5>oCouTt  St        1866       _ 

Griffith,  J.  U. 

68 

Md. 

Retired 

April  '6t 

Loa  Angeles       1852       ■ 

GrecD.  B.  K. 

57 

NY. 

Manufact' 

er  May  '72 

W.  Ninth  St       1873      ■ 

GiceD,  FloTd  B. 

*i> 

Illinois 

Manuraet'er    Maj  '71 

W.  Ninth  at        t87>       1 

Gnitin,  James  M. 

6a 

Ohio 

Retired 

Oct  18.-69 

115  S.  Grand  At  1864       H 

Ooldiworthy ,  John 

57 

EngUod 

Surveyor 

March  30, '69  790  E.  t6th  st    i8$3      ^ 

Griffin,  Jobo  S. 

8a 

Va. 

Physician 

Jaa  7, '47 

1109  Dow'y  Av  1846       ■ 

Htinci,  Kufiu  R. 

71 

Maina 

Tclegraphet  Jnne  '71, 

aiSW.  a7th        1857 

H«rtli,  Bmil 

58 

Prauia 

Detective 

April  9,  "67 

ioa6  W.  8th  St  1857 

nargett,  C. 

75 

England 

Carpenter 

July  'T* 

747  Yale             1871      ■ 

Huper,  C.  F. 

65 

N.C 

Mercbn,nt 

May  '68 

Laurel                 1863      ■ 

Burit,  Leopold 

6] 

Proasia 

Merchant 

Feb4.'54 

935  S.  Hill         I8s8      ■ 

Hazard,  Ceo.  W. 

95 

Dlioois 

Clerk 

Dee  35,  '64 

841 S  OliTc          r854       H 

H««rd,  Henry  T. 

&4 

Ulinoia 

Attorney 

Dec  26.  '54 

2826  S.  Hope      iBfi* 

HellmKD,  Herntui  W.  55 

Germany 

Banker 

May  t4.'59 

954  Hill               1859       H 

Heinz^itiAti ,  C.  F. 

56 

Germany 

Druggist 

June  6,  '68 

630  S.Grand  At  1H6R      ■ 

BurgAD.  T. 

63 

Ireland 

Plasterer 

Sept  18,  '70 

330  Jackson         1858      H 

Hnntcr,  Jane  E 
Hiller,  Horace 

54 
53 

N.  V. 

Jan  '66 

N.  Y. 

Metchant 

Oct '69 

147  W.  13d  It       1869      ■ 

Huber,  C.  E. 

5« 

Ky. 

Agent 

July  '59 

836  S.Broadway  1859      ■ 

Jacoby,  Nathan 

£8 

Prnasia 

Merchant 

July  '61 

739  Hope  St         166 1 

J«col>y,  Morria 

48 

Prussia 

Merchant 

1865 

I«oa  Angeles          1865 

Jamn,  Alfred 

68 

Ohio 

Miner 

April  '68 

lot  N.B.Hill  At  1853 

Jeakini,  Charles  M. 

S8 

Ohio 

Dep  Sheriff  MsTch  I9,.5i 

1138  Ssntce          1851 

Jofaneon,  CharlcaR. 

68 

MaM. 

Accouataat  1851 

I^ns  Angelea        1847 

309  N.Workm'n  1S5Z      ■ 

Kerca,  Charles  G. 

50 

Vt. 

ClKfc 

Nov  as.  *68 

Krcmer,  M. 

74 

Prance 

Ins  Agent 

March '5a 

754  Hope              1850 

Kreoier,  Mrs-  Matili^*  ^^^ 

N.  V. 

Sept  '54 
May  10,  's8 

754  Hope             1858 
107  W.  First  St     1848 

EuhrU.  Jacob 

65 

German  J 

Merchant 

Kurtz,  Joseph 

55 

Germany  Phyaician 

Feb  3,  68 

361  Huens  Vista  1S67 

Kysor,  E.  K. 

63 

N.  Y. 

Retired 

April  '69 

333  Bonnie  Brae  1865      H 

Lambonm,  Kred 

60 

England 

Grocer 

Dec*59 

804  JndMtn  St        1839      H 

^^^^^^^^^H^k^H^^^^^i 

^^1 

^^^^^^H 

^^^^^^^1 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H 

■ 

BOLL  CALL  OF  MEMBERS. 

V 

^^^H 

W       Lankenbim,  J.  B. 

47     Missouri    Capitalist    1879 

930  S.  Olive  ft 

1854      H 

1         UDoir,  S.  W. 

75    N.  Y.          Farmer        May  '58 

Loa  Angelea 

1853      ■ 

1         Lacard,  Solomon 

71     France        Retired         1851 

608  Seventh  at 

1851      ■ 

1         Lo«b,  I.«on 

5t    Prance       Mercbaot    Feb  '66 

1 53 1  S.  Hope 

1866      ■ 

^        Lcck,  Henrjr  Vudet  38    CsUfornlt  Merchaot    Dec  14,  'S9 

3309  Flower 

1859      ■ 

^^LLmbclcc.  Ch&rlM  U 

.68    Gcntuity  Pickle  wks  March  so, '37 

577  Loa  Angeles 

1851      ■ 

^^^fLeoonvreur,  Praak 

68    Germany   Sarveyor     March  6/55 

(151  S.  Main  st 

1861       H 

LcTj,  Michel 

63    Prance       Merchant  Oct  '68 

622  Kip  at 

1851        H 

iitcy,  0*UT 

68    Indiana      Farmer      1850 

Albambra 

iSjo          H 

Mapp»,  Adam  G. 

74     N.  y.           Search  Rec  Nut  '64 

Loa  Anjjslea 

1864    ^^B 

Mcicadante,  N. 

49     Italy            Grocer          April  16,  '69 

439  San  Pedro 

1861    ^^1 

Mesmer,  Joseph 

41    Ohio          Merchant  Sept  '59 

1706  Manitou  Ave  1859      ^^^| 

MesKT.  K. 

73    Germany  Retired       Fob  "54 

336Jackaon 

1851 

Mejer,  Samael 

67    Germiiny  Merchant    April  '53 

1337  S.  Hope 

1853 

Melz«r,  Loots 

so     Bohemia   SUtioner    April  t,  '70 

900  Pearl 

186B 

Mitchell,  Newell  H 

54    Ohio          Hotel  k'p'rScpt  36.  '68 

Pasadena 

1869 

Uooru,  Isaac  N. 

60    Illttioia      Retired        Nov  '69 

130  Umaoock 

1863 

Mullaly,  Joseph 

78    Ohio         Retired        March  5.  '54  417  College 

1S05 

McLaln,  Geo.  P. 

50    Va.             Merchant    Jan  3,  '68 

446  N.  Grand  Av 

1867 

McLean.,  Wm. 

S5    Scotland   Contractor  1S69 

561   S.  Hop« 

1869 

McDoDKld.  B.  N. 

67     N.  Y.         Capiialist    Oct  23,  '53 

WiliuingtOQ 

1853 

McMullin.  W.  C. 

49    CaQoda      Dep  Sheriff  Jan  '70 

StadoB  D 

1S67 

Norton,  Isaac 

53    Poland      Sec  Loao  As  NoY  '6q 

1364  Figueroa  st 

I169 

Newmark,  Harrla 

63    Germany  Merchant     Oct  aa.  '50 

loji  Grand  Av 

1853 

Newmark,  M.J. 

59     N.  Y.         Merchant    Sept  '54 

1047  Grand  Av 

1853 

Newell,  J.  G. 

68    Canada      Laborer       July  14,  '58 

S4I7  W.9lh  9t 

1850 

Nichols,  Thomas  B 

39     California  City  And     1858 

331  W.  31st  St 

1858 

Orme,  Henrf  S. 

59    Georgia     I'hysician    July  4,  '6j 

17s  S-  Spring  9t 

1868 

Osboroc.  John 

60    Ungtand    Retired        Nov  14,  '68 

333  W.  30th  8t 

1854 

Oiborn,  Wm.  M. 

63     N.  Y.          U«ry         March  '58 

973  W.Twelflh 

1855 

O'Melveny,  Bilw  S. 

41     IlUnoia      Pr  Tran  Co.Noir '69 

Melro«e  Ave 

1869 

O'Melveny,  Hanry  W.j7    Illinois       Attorney     Nov  69 

Baker  Block 

1S69 

Parker.  Joel  B. 

57    N.  y.          Fanner       April  20,  '70  513  E.  Twelfth 

1S70 

Pe«:hke,  WitlUm 

78    Germany    Retired      April  13. '65 

538  Macy  st 

1853 

Pike,  Geo.  U. 

63     Mass.          Retired        18&7 

Loa  Angeles 

1858 

Peck,  Geo.  U. 

78     Vt.              Farmer        Dec  '68 

Bl  Monte 

1849 

Poact,  Victor 

6t     Be]]{iutu     Capitalist    Oct  '69 

Alvararlo  st 

1867    ^M 

Pridliam,  Wm. 

61     N.  Y.         SapW-FCoAuga8. '68 

Baker  Block 

1854    ^H 

Qainn,  Michael  P. 

6t    N.  Y.        Farmer        Mare  1  3,  '59 

Bl  Monte 

1859         ■ 

Uaab,  Darid  M. 

55    Germany  Dairyman    May  lo,  '69 

SoQtb  Pasadena   | 

Raynes,  Frank 

47     Bngtand    Lumber'n    Aog  'yl 

Pomona 

1871       m 

Reichard,  Daniel 

57    Ohio          Livery          July  '68 

459  Beaudry 

1868           ■ 

■            Riley,  James  M. 

57    Mo.           Msnufact't  Dec'66 

II05S.  Olivait   I857          ■ 

1           Rtchardaon.  B.  W. 

47    Ohio         Dairyman    Sept  '7I 

Tropico 

1871  __m 

1           Richardaon,  W.  C. 

B.  83    N.  H.  '      Snrreyor       1858 

Tfopico 

1S68  ^^1 

1           Roeder,  Louis 

66    Germany  ReJired         Nov  aS.  '66 

3I9  Boyd  st 

1856  ^^1 

1           Rowan,  Thomas  S. 

64     N.  Y.         Broker         March  I860 

Bryson  Block 

I854          ■ 

^^^"^98         HISTORICAL  SOCiBTY  OF  SOUTHERN  CALlFORNtA. 

■ 

1              Robin  OD.  W.  W. 

63 

Nova  Sco  Clerk          Sept  '68 

1  i&  S.  Olive  St 

las^^B 

1                Roberta,  Henry  C. 

64 

Pa.              FmitGto'r  1804 

Aznaa 

I860    1 

1                RlnAldi,  Cvl  K.  R. 

64 

Germany   Horticul'&t  ApKl  '64 

Fernando 

1864 

1                Remlall,  Stephen  A 

.  6o 

England    Real  Ritate  M«y  1 .  '66 

90A  Alvarado 

1861       _ 
I842      ■ 

H              34bichi,  Pnink 

66 

Califomia  Attorney      I842 

2437  Figneroa 

^H          Schmidt,GNttfriedL 

.   62 

Denmark  Fanner         Aug  '64 

Loa  Angeles 

^^V          Sclimidt,  Augast 

68 

Germany  Retired        May  '69 

7I0S.  Olive 

1869      _ 

p>cbairet.  John 

«7 

Holland     Retired        March  '72 

Loti  Angelea 

1349      ■ 

Sborb,  A.  S. 

0O 

Ohio          Ptiyaiciaa    Jnne  '7I 

6.^2  Adanu 

I87I      ■ 

Scbieck,  Daniel 

77 

Germany  Retired        Oct  24,  '06 

224  Franklin 

1862      ■ 

Soward,  Ctutle* 

64 

Ky.            Teacher        Oct  '7I 

El  Monte 

18':8     ™ 

StoU,  Simon 

62 

Ky.              Merchant      Auic  'G9 

8o2S.  Broadway  I8O9 

Stewmri.J.  M. 

^ 

N.  H.        R-tired          May  14,  '70     612  W  .%>th  it 

■ 

Stephen*.  Daniel  G. 

04 

N.  J.         Orchanllst    April  '61 

Station  7 

lfi69     ■ 

Stcpheitit.  Mra.  B.T. 
Smith.  Iiaac  S. 

Sution  7 
2I9  N.  Olive  at 

1866      ■ 

05 

N.  Y.          M'g'rUBuN0T'7l 

I869      ■ 

SoiUh.Mra.  M.W.dc45 

Texas        Uouaewifc  Feb  '^9 

70 1  Central  Ave 

1867      ■ 

Strong,  Robert 

61 

N.  Y.        Broktr         Marsh  '72 

Paandeaa 

I872      ■ 

Soyder,  Z.  T. 

4*t 

Indiana     Parmer        April  '72 

Tropico 

I673      ■ 

Teed.  Matbtw 

69 

England  Carpenter    Jan  '63 

613  Caliromiast  I8&4      ~ 

Thorn.  Cameron  R. 

n 

Va.            Attorney      April  '54 

I18  B.  Third  at 

I849       _ 

Tafl,  Mri.  Marr  H. 

5S 

Mich.       HoUMwlfe  Dec  25.  '64 

459  S.  Hill  at 

I864      ■ 

Thomu,  Jvbn  M 

01 

Indiana    Farmer        Dec  7,  '68 

Monrovia 

I869      ■ 

Thurman,  S.  D. 

54 

Teoo.       Fanner        Sept  16.  '62 

El  MoQte 

1862      ■ 

Town.  R.  M. 

63 

nUnoia     Farmer        Nov  1,  '69 

Toluca 

J569      ™ 

Trnman.  Iko  C. 

62 

R.  I.          Author        Feb],  '73 

Twanty-third  at 

1866 

Turner,  Wm.  P. 

58 

Ohio         Grocer         May  '58 

608  N.  Griffin 

1868 

Ulyard,  Aagiutos 

81 

Pa.            Baker          Dec  31,  '62 

81 9  Flower  at 

iBsa     _ 

Ulyanl.  Mn.  Mary 

6? 

England  lloutewire  Dec  31,  'b% 

8I9  Flower  at 

1852       ■ 

Vogt,  Henry 

70 

Germany  Builder      Jan  4,  'A9 

Caatelar  at 

i854       1 

WorkniAU,  Wtn.  H. 

68 

Mo.            Real  Bat     1S54 

807  Boyle  Ave 

1854       1 

Woikmaii.  E-  H. 

60 

Mo.            Real  Eat     i&M 

t2o  Boyle  Av 

1864       ■ 

Wiley.  Henry  C. 

(IS 

Pa.             Speculator  July  3, '52 

3o9  S.  Hill 

1852       ■ 

Wlae'.  Kcaoeth  D. 

63 

Indiana    Phyncian    Sxpt '72 

ijSt  S.Grand  Ave  iS7a       | 

Williamson.  Geo.  W 

.  3g 

Illiooia     Capitalist     1871 

Loa  Angclei 

1872 

WcyBc,  Rudolph  G. 

37 

Cal.           Bookkee'c  Jan  29,  '60 

339  Bunker  Hill 

18O0 

Weyse,  Mrs.  A.W.  B 

.36 

Cat.           Houipwlfe  Jaly  i6,  '82 

339  Bunker  HUl 

1862 

.            Wright,  CharJea  M. 

6r 

Vt.            Parmer      July  '69 

Spadra 

1869 

^ta         White,  Cbarlca  H. 

44 

Mam.        S  P  Co        Nov.  '72 

1 137  Ingraham  at 

^F^         Weitl,  Ivar  A. 

57 

Denmark  Landlord    1872 

741  S.  Main 

1               Wilson,  C.  N, 

67 

Ohio          Lawyer       Jan  9,  '71 

Fernando 

1870 

■              Wttaon.  John  T. 

37 

Pa.            Fanner        Jan  9.  '71 

Fernando 

1870 

1               Yarneli.JuM 

60 

Ohio         Primer        April  '67 

1808  W.  Flnit  at 

1882 

B             Voung,  John  D. 

66 

Mo.          Fanner       Oct  '05 

8607  Figueroa 

i853 

ROLL  CALL  OF  MMMBERH. 


99 


BaiTowa,  Cornelia  S. 

.   62 
76 
47 
67 
67 
68 
76 
48 
6i 

AD  MITT 

Ct. 
N.  H. 

Illinoia 
Indiana 
N.Y. 
N.Y. 
Illinoia 
Maaa. 
Wis. 

ED  FEBRUARY  1, 1898. 
\!av  '(W 

Clarke,  N.  J. 
Daria,  Bmily  W. 

Retired 

1849 
1866 

French,  Loring  W. 

Dentist 

Oct '68 

Sept  16,  '64 
i852 
Sept '7a 
i863 
e  April  '67 

Mott,  Thomas  D. 
Scott,  P.  M. 
HeUns,  J.  J. 
Yamell,  Mta.  S.  C. 

Retired 

RealRaf. 
Com  Mer 
Hona-wif 

W.  Jefferaon  1868 

317  S.  Hill  1849 
1904  Vermont  Atc  1866 

837  Alvarado  i863 

1061  '^.  Grand  Are  1864 

645  S.  Main  at  1849 

222  MotonATe      

i&7W.Adama  1853 

1808  W.  Firat  at  i856 


Organized  November  i,  18S3.  Incorporated  February  i;,  iS^u 

PART  II.  VOL.  IV. 


ANNUAL  PUBLICATION 


OF  THE 


Historical  Society 


OF 


Southern  California 

AND 

PIONEER  REGISTER 
Los  Angeles 

i8q8 


Published  by  the  Society 


LOS  ANGELES.  CAL. 
■8n 


CONTENTS. 


Pifteen  Years  of  Local  History  Work .J-  M.  Guinn 

Hugo  Reid  and  His  ladian  Wile I^ura  Evertsen  King 

The  Story  of  a  Native  CaliforDisn H.  D.  Barrows 

Paciflo  Coast  Discoveries Alberi  E.  Yercx 

Some  Famous  Gold  Rushes -J.  M.  Guinn 

Notes  on  the  Mission  Sao  Gabriel Rev.  J.  Adam 

Soma  African  Folk  Lore J.  D.  Moody 

Capitan  and  Tin-Tin,  Types  ol  Missioa  Indiana. . . . 

Laura  EverUen  King 

Old  Fort  Moore J.  M.  Guinn 

Pioneer  Schools  and  Their  Teachers Laura  Evertsen  King 

Gov.  Felipe  de  Neve ^.  .H.  D,  Barrowi 

Rare  Old  Books  in  the  Bishop's  Library , . . .  Reo.  /.  Adam 

How  a  Woman's  Wit  Saved  California ._/.  D.  Moody 

Kl  Efltado  Libre  de  Alta  California /  M.  Guinn 

Committee  Reports. 

PIONEER  REGISTER 

Offioers  and  Committees,  1898-99 

Kx-Msyor  John  G.  Nichols fi,  D.  Barrews 

Hon.  Stephen  C.  Foster "  " 

Dr.  John  Strother  Griffin "  " 

Henry  C.  Wiley /.  F.  Bums 

Horace  Killer If.  D,  Barrows 

Wm.  B.  Abernethy 

RoU  of  Members  Elected  since  last  Report 


OFFICERS  OF  THE  SOCIETY 

1898 

OFFIOEBS. 

J.  D.  Moody President 

A.  B.  Ybrsz First  Vico-Preeident 

Mbs.  M.  Bdbtoh  Williahson Second  Vice-President 

Edwih  Baxter Treasurer 

J.  M.  QuiHN Secretary  and  Curator 

BOuUlD  or   DIBECIOBS. 

J.  D.  Moody,  A.  B.  Ysbex. 

H.  D.  Barbows,  a.  C.  Vrohan, 

Bdwin  Baxteb,  J.  M.  Gdinn, 

Mb8.  M.  Bubton  Williamson. 

1899 

OFFIOEBS   (elect). 

A.  B.  Yerez President 

H.  D.  Babrows First  Vice-President 

Rev.  J.  Adam Second  Vice  President 

Edwin  'Baxter Treasurer 

J.  M.  GuiNN Secretary  and  Curator 

board   or   DIBECIOBS. 

Db.  J.  D.  Moody,  J.  M.  Gtjinn, 

Rev.  J.  Adah,  A.  E.  Yerex, 

Pbof.  Frank  J.  Polley,  H.  D.  Bareows, 

Mbs.  M.  Bubton  Williahbon. 


Historical  Society 


OF 


Southern  California 


LOS  ANGELES,  1898 


FIFTEEN  YEARS  OF  LOCAL  HISTORY  WORK 

BT  J.  M.  aUINN. 

Co  the  flnit  of  November,  181)8,  the  Historical  Socict;  of  Sootb- 
era  Catifornia  was  fifteen  yean  old.  While  comparativetj  young 
in  years,  yot  it  i»  tlie  senior  Tlialoriral  Society  of  tbt  Pacific  Coast, 
and  is  the  oldest  literary  society  or  association  in  Los  AnReles. 
On  the  evening  of  November  1,  IKKl,  in  a  room  on  the  southwest 
comer  of  old  Temple  Block,  the  following-named  gentlemen  met 
fcr  the  purpose  of  organizing  a  historical  society;  Col.  J.  J.  War- 
ner, n.  D.  Barrows,  N.  Levering,  Qen.  John  Maasfleld,  Prof.  J.  M. 
Oninn,  Maj.  C.  N.  Wilson,  Ex.Gov.  J,  G.  Downey,  Prof.  Ira  More, 
J.  B.  Niles,  A.  Kobler,  Don  Antonio,  F.  Coronal,  George  Hansen, 
A.  J,  Bradfleld,  MaJ.  E.  W.  Jones  and  Prof.  Marcus  Raker. 

Of  the  fifteen  men  who  took  part  in  that  first  meeting  eight  are 
dead — four  have  been  lost  by  removal  from  the  city  or  by  with- 
drawal from  the  society;  only  three  rftmain  members  of  the  so- 
ciety, viz.,  H.  D.  Barrows,  N.  Levering  and  J.  M.  QuIdu.  WecOtly 
meetings  were  held  throughout  the  month  of  November.  A  con- 
stitution and  standing  rules  were  drafted  for  the  government  of 

I      the  society. 

I  Although  we  date  oar  organisation  Nov.  1,  1883,  the  orgonlza- 


aoaaerr  or 


Ham  wu  not  campieied  oDtil  D«c  «.  «bcs  «  fsH  li«  of  «Oeen  «>■ 
electid  nd  m  ffneiml  oMRBittce  to  Buiac«  tbe  afmin  «ff  the  a»- 
riHT.  AMoritac  la  »  nMloOoB  pttaed  al  tlte  a>«ti»g  of  E>ec.  l1^ 
the  folloving  DJoiied  perwn*  vere  dectarrd  the  foood«n  o(  the 
•odctT:  UarcM  B*Jim,  J.  J.  W«iwr.  A.  P.  CsraMl.  4.  G.  Dow- 
ner, ^'-  Uvering  J.  U.  OuiiiD.  John  JfanrfcM.  Jaha  B.  KOe^ 
Oeorce  Batter  Griflb,  Edwin  Baxipr,  0«orKe  Hsbmb.  S.  W.  fl 
4oD««.  Vol&f  J  E.  Howard,  l«aac  Kinlej,  A.  Kohler.  It&  Umre,  O.  ^ 
y.  Wilwm,  J.  P.  Widnej.  J.  Q.  A.  Btanler.  Hontio  N.  Bast,  J.  W. 
Redway.  A.  J.  Bradfield.  The  fo<aiiden  Dorabered  twentT-two. 
The  HcietjF  aa  tint  orgaaiied  led  a  Bort  of  dwd  existeooe.  There 
wma  the  woriety  proper  at  tbr  mMliDga,  of  which  pafters  were 
read  uid  illw  ■■Jnin  held;  then  there  waa  a  goDeral  rommittee 
eompoaBd  of  th«  aeren  nMcctn  and  tpn  Herted  membcta,  which 
triiwfted  all  the  bnriaeae  aad  electpd  new  menbers. 

The  genetal  public  waa  not  ioTited  to  attead  oar  meetiaga.  It 
aa  ontafder  wUbed  to  enter  the  arena  wbtre  we  wr«rt1ed  with  bi»- 
tory  and  aeience,  he  bad  to  make  a  K-ritten  appticatjoo  to  the  aec- 
retarjr.  The  application  wai  tfaMi  submitted  lo  the  General  Com- 
inJttee.  That  aagaat  bodj  io  aolemn  conclave  decided  wbetber 
the  applicant  waa  a  fit  aabject  to  enter  the  aanctnm  Baactomm 
of  oar  Historical  Bociet^.  The  by-Iawa  or  rules  llial  provided  for 
this  arrangement  were  copied  from  those  of  the  Philosophical  80- 
v.U'ty  of  W'aflbingtonr  V.  C.  Thej  proved  altogether  too  artsto- 
crattc  and  ezcluaive  for  oor  western  ideas  of  eqaalitj.  The  gen- 
4»ral  public  let  us  geverely  alone.  A  new  code  of  bj-laws  waa 
adopted  in  1886.  doing  awaj  with  the  General  Comauttee  and  h 
throwing  our  doors  open  to  any  ona  who  might  wish  to  enter.         fl 

The  growth  of  the  society  at  flrst  was  rapid.  At  the  end  of  the 
lint  six  mouths  we  had  enrolled  fifty  members.  There  was  a  rash 
to  get  in  on  the  ground  floor— to  be  first.  It  was  something  new 
and  it  tooli  with  that  class  who  are  always  sighing  for  something 
new;  " 

"Still  sigba  the  world  for  something  new, 

For  something  new; 
Imploring  me — imploring  you 

Home  Will  <»'Wi8p  lo  help  pursoe; 
Oh,  hapless  wvrt-ld.  what  will  it  do! 

Imploring   me — imploring  you. 
For  aonu-tbing  new." 


FinrEN  VEABs  nr  local  hibvoby  work 


107 


The  Dewiiew  wore  off  and  then  the  reaction  camp.  Bofore  the  close 
of  the  first  year  of  the  society's  existence  we  conid  not  get  out  a  qno- 
mm.  ThB  minutes  show  the  October,  November  and  Deeemtwr  meet- 
ings of  If^i  adjourned  for  want  of  a  (]nornro.  Then  the  old  wheel 
horses  of  the  organization  bnckled  down  to  work  and  pulled  (he  so- 
ciety out  of  the  slongh  of  despond,  and  1  might  add  they  have  been 
pollioK  at  it  ever  since. 

During  the  fifteen  years  of  its  existence  185  persons  have  been  re- 
ceived into  membership.  Of  these  28  are  dead,  about  60  have  lost 
Ibeir  membership  through  being  dropped  for  nonpayment  of  dues 
and  by  vountary  withdrawal,  leaving  at  the  present  time  a  nominal 
oicmbersbip  of  nearly  one  hundred. 

We  bare  issned  14  aiinnal  publications  of  papers,  read  before  the 
society.  Tbeee  make  over  1100  octavo  pages,  and  form  three  com- 
plete volumes  of  valuable  history,  and  (including  tbe  present  issue) 
parts  1  and  2  of  volume  IV.  We  hare  collected  duriug  the  past  fif- 
teen years  and  expeuded  in  the  publication  of  our  annual,  and  in  the 
purchase  of  books  and  newr<paper  files,  nearly  $250U  in  cash. 

In  addition  to  this,  we  have  received  iu  donations  of  books,  curios, 
files  of  papers  and  periodicals,  pamphlets,  manuscripta,  maps,  etc,, 
historical  material  worth  at    least  |3000. 

Had  we  been  able  ten  or  twelve  yenrs  ago  to  have  secured  fire- 
proof rooms,  centrally  located  and  nicely  fitted  up,  our  collection  by 
donations  would  doubtless  ere  this  have  been  worth  from  ten  thou- 
sand to  twenty  thousand  dollars. 

Our  society  has  been  somewhat  of  a  tramp  in  regard  to  a  local 
habitation.  Its  first  meetings  were  held  in  n  room  on  the  second  floor 
of  old  Temple  Block,  comer  of  Main  and  Market  streets.  From  there 
it  moved  to  a  room  on  the  second  floor  of  the  Nadeau  Block,  fronting 
on  First  street,  and  occupied  by  Justice  Morgan  as  a  courtroom.  The 
Nadeau  was  just  completed  and,  being  too  large  a  hotel  for  the  size 
of  the  town,  a  portion  of  it  was  fitted  up  for  ofilces,  a  courtroom,  and 
a  hall  for  the  Y.M.G,A.  After  remaining  there  to  June,  1884,  the  so- 
ciety' wandered  away  out  to  the  State  Normal  School  on  Fifth  street, 
whii-h  in  those  days  was  well  out  in  the  suburbs;  but  It  soon  got 
lonesome  there  and  came  back  to  the  Nadeau,  where  it  remained  till 
1886,  when  it  took  up  its  lodgings  in  the  Conncil  Chamber  of  the  old 
City  Hall  on  Second  street 


108 


In  1889  the  Citj  Board  of  EdocatJOB  eriried  it.  aad  it  irwiiil  tlie 
hall  falo  the  PolEf«  Coort  rmmb  over  the  Jan,  wfaete  for  a  tine  It 
dwelt  la  pcare  bnt  Dot  in  prooperity.  The  wrromMtiagi  wen  vaeott- 
genlal  and  tbe  aflK>datioiia  nnpltajaDt.  and  altboa^h  there  were  con- 
siderable Dnwrfttea  history  aitd  aacollected  curios  in  its  Dew  qoar- 
tera,  they  were  of  sach  a  cbararter  that  it  did  oot  desire  to  collect  or 
preaerre  them.  After  a  few  months  the  edncationa]  aolooa  taored  to 
more  comfortable  qnarters  in  the  new  City  Hall  on  nroadway,  asd 
tbe  society  iDOved  into  its  former  iioarters,  wbicb  in  the  meantime 
bad  been  transformed  into  a  City  Court  room.  There  it  remained 
■abl  April,  1896,  when  it  took  to  tbe  road  ajpun — tramped  oat  to 
Pasadena  foor  times,  and  has  put  op  for  tbe  ni^t  at  tbe  reaidence 
of  rariona  members  in  different  {arts  uf  tbe  city. 

Notwithstaoding  tbe  nomadic  proclirities  of  oor  society,  its  gen- 
eral repatation  is  good  both  at  home  and  abroad.  Its  pobUcatSona 
are  appreciated.  They  are  to  be  foood  in  many  of  tbe  gr«it  public 
libranea  of  the  t'oited  States.  Tbey  have  (rone  into  libmries  in  Eu- 
rope, Anstralia,  Canada  and  New  Zealand.  The  proapects  of  oor  so- 
ciety are  good.  Our  collection  of  books  and  cnrios  increase  each 
year.  Our  Htaading  among  tbe  historical  societies  of  the  country  is 
firat-class. 

Our  publications  bare  dooe  much  toward  adrertisinB  Southern 
California — not  in  the  sense  of  puffing  it  for  real-estate  speculation, 
but  Id  pre^eDtJDg  its  history,  growth,  deTciopmeot  and  resources  in 
a  dignified  ood  consiervatire  nunner.  Not  a.  single  cent  of  tbe 
money  expended  in  tbe  publication  and  circulation  of  more  than 
ttfvcn  thnniuind  copies  of  otir  annuals  has  come  out  of  the  mooej 
raised  by  county  and  city  taxation.  Xhe  members  of  the  society  hare 
routribnted  it  oot  of  their  own  pockets  for  the  public  good,  and 
tuive  donp  It  witlioiit  asking  or  ex|tecttng  any  pecuniary  reward  for 
their  pbitantbropio  work. 

Looklnp  Imrkward  to  Nov.  1st,  1883.  the  date  of  our  society's  or- 
ganlrjition.  nnd  comparing  the  city  as  it  was  then  with  wbat  it  Is 
today,  its  wonderful  growth  and  development  in  the  fifteen  years  past 
seem  more  like  some  trick  of  magic  than  stem  reality.  Then  its  pop- 
ulation was  about  14.000,  today  IIO.OIK).  Then  thrre  was  not  a  busi- 
ness block  of  anr  pretensions  south  of  First  street  except  the  Ka- 
dean,    Boulh  of  the  Nadcau  on  Spring  street  was  a  wagon  factory; 


1 
I 


riFTUEM    YEARS   OF   tOCAL   BISTOKy   WORE 


IW 


eoatb  of  that  Scovill's  planing  mill,  and  next,  on  tbe  corner  of  Spring 
and  Second,  where  the  Hr.rson  Ittock  stands,  was  the  old  brick 
itrhoolhoase  built  in  ISM.  Across  Second  street,  where  tbe  Hollcn- 
l>eck  stands,  was  a  horse  corral,  snrrounded  by  a  high  board  fence. 
Honth  of  Second,  on  Kpring  street,  where  now  stretches  a  mile  of 
bosincHH  blocks,  was  then  principally  bailt  op  with  one-story  resi- 
dences. Just  beiow  Third  street  on  Main  stood  the  old  Roundiiouse. 
and  back  of  it  extending  to  Spring  was  Lehman's  Oarden  of  Para- 
diw  A  pleaaore  resort^Adam  and  Eve,  howevw,  had  taken  their 
dcpartore.  The  old  serpent  was  scotched  and  the  "Tree  of  Knowl- 
edge" had  been  cat  down  to  prevent  bad  little  boy»  from  bi'eaUing 
windows  in  their  nttcrapta  to  stone  the  fruit  oflf  it.  The  finest  re«i- 
dence  portion  of  the  city,  and  the  moat  aristocrotic,  was  Fort  street, 
DOW  Broadway,  between  Second  and  Third.  There  was  nut  a  busi- 
ness house  of  any  kind  on  IBroadway.  where  now  there  is  a  mile  of 
theiji. 

Tbe  city  had  but  two  parks — tbe  old  I'laza,  which  was  in  a  sadly 
demoralized  condition,  and  Sixth-street  Fark,  which  was  inclosed  by 
a  dilapidated  picket  fence.  An  open  water  ditch  ran  through  It. 
There  were  a  few  stunted  trees  in  it  that  secmwl  amhumed  of  their 
Burroundings.  No  flowers,  and  no  signs  "Keep  o(f  the  grass."  There 
was  nu  grass  to  keep  oft.  A  sign  at  the  Olive-street  comer  warned 
heavy  teams  not  to  cross  the  park. 

There  were  but  two  principal  streetcar  lines  and  one  branch.  The 
Main-street  line  tarncd  on  Washington  street  and  ran  to  Figucroa, 
then  on  to  the  city  limits.  The  Spring  street  line  extended  from 
Sixth  and  Pearl  to  Johnson  street  in  East  Jam  Angeles.  The  cars 
ran  every  twenty  minutes — three  trips  to  the  hour — providing  al- 
ways that  the  mules  did  not  object.  There  was  a  branch  line  that 
mn  on  Arcadia  street  and  Aliso  to  Boyle  Heights.  It  made  a  tnp 
every  hour.  There  were  no  paved  afreets  in  the  city,  and  with  a  few 
trifling  exceptions,  nothing  except  graveled  sidewalks.  Street  cara 
propelled  by  electricity  had  not  been  dreamed  of,  and  the  Hghting  of 
the  city  by  electricity  was  a  bugaboo  to  frighten  the  gas  company. 
There  was  not  a  telephone  in  the  city,  and  no  free  mail  delivery.  Ev 
erybody  went  to  the  postodlce  to  receive  and  deposit  his  mail.  If  my 
recollections  are  correct,  there  were  no  mail  boxes  at  the  street  cor 
nMH,  nor  any  place  except  at  tbe  postofflce.    The  City    Hall  waa  a 


110 


cAUvncau 


M  adobe  ftt  the  «M*cr  ti  K«rtt  flpru«  mwl  Fnnklia 
•tncta.  where  tbe  PUlUp*  Block  now  staads.  TW  oU  bovac  had 
Wa  bant  Idr  a  dweUiag  ^  Astoaie  Boeba  avar  back  abMl  1825.  It 
waa  deaanGabed  aboot  188S»  ag«d  tt>  ?can.  la  the  nar  ui  it  vu  tbe 
riix  aad  cooaty  Jail,  iaclaart  hj  a  board  fmre  15  ftwt  faigb.  Fifiy 
toaebcfa  varv  dm  nMtiemt  xo  diffpease  »i»**f»i  {«baltuB  to  tbe 
■  bnnl  fbUdrea  of  tbe  city— aoar  it  reqairea  tbe  aoTMca  of  SNl  Tbe 
Lh  Aaeeica  Higb  Bebool  was  th«si  tbe  odIt  btcb  acbool  in  Soatbeta 
€bi0fbnila;  now  there  are  eigbt  ia  this  coaaty  aloaa.  Tbe  oontrast  ia 
tbi*  eooditioBS  existing  in  the  eoontr^  districts  tbes  compared  with 
tbe  prennit  wive  as  ataitod  aa  ia  tbe  dty.  Tbe  city  of  I'aiadffiia, 
with  its  palatial  privue  reaideacc%  iia  muaire  bowaew  blodu  aad 
|iBvrd  BtnctBt  bad  ao  calBteacc;.  It  waa  a  colaojr  dewitod  to  tMmnge 
erowias.  Tbe  aadevs  of  tbe  fntnre  citj  waa  then  a  isall  grocery 
Btoce  aad  Uadcaauth  abop,  located  at  tbe  cotmc  oT  Colorado  street 
and  Fhir  Oaks.  Tbe  aettleaieDt  ««s  trjriDi:  to  foreet  its  primitiTe 
nanM^lodiaBa  Colooy-  It  bad  recently  cfaristoiKd  itself  Paaadeaa. 
An  expreaa  wagon  carried  tbe  few  paaeen^en  who  rarrd  to  nuke  tLa 
jounej  lo  Pasadena  at  tbe  rate  of  one  dollar  iho  ronud  trip.  Xuw 
ii  ran  be  Bade  for  20  oenta.  Tbe  cities  of  N'ew  Saa  Pedro,  Bcdiaida 
and  Long  Bench  bad  aeitber  a  local  babhatioa  aor  a  aame.  The 
site  of  Monraria  waa  a  cattle  range,  aad  AlbaBtaca  a  sheep  pastore. 
Fifteen  jeara  ia  bnt  little  nwre  than  oneflfth  of  tbe  allotted  three 
seoee  and  ten  of  a  human  life,  and  bat  a  teetiag  mookPtit  In  the  life 
of  a  city  or  a  natiOB,  and  yet  behold  what  blatety  oar  city 
eonaty  bare  made  ia  that  timet 

How  often  hare  we.  tfaft  workers  of  onr  society,  when  we  bnc 
ashed  aone  [ntelligent  and  pobLic  spirited  ritiien  to  join  oar  raaka 
aad  aid  na  in  onr  work,  been  answered  tbns:  *Oh.  I  hare  not  been 
here  loag  eaaai^  to  know  maeh  aboat  tbe  history  of  the  dty  or 
eoaaty,"  and  yet  that  name  person,  altlkoagh  his  rc^dmce  here  auiy 
reach  bark  lean  than  a  decaile.  has  lired.  and  is  Uring.  in  tbe  moat 
erentfol  years  of  oar  city'a  bistory.  It  U  certainly  fnlly  aa  import- 
ant  lo  prraerre  tbe  history  we  are  naking  erery  day  as  it  it  to  eal- 
lect  that  which  waa  made  long  since  by  onr  prrdrrfnsnrs 


HUGO  REID  AND  HI5  INDIAN  WIFE 


BY  IjATIBA  EVERTBON  KING, 
mend  March  7,  1898.) 

f  n  TliompBOD  &  West's  History*  of  Ix>a  Angelea  County  we  find  the 
fnllowitig  short  sketch  of  Mr.  Rnid: 

"Hugo  R^'id,  a  native  of  Scotland,  came  to  T^«  Angeles  !□  1831, 
and  WU8  a  merchant  there  in  eonii>anj'  with  Wm.  Keith  and  Jacob 
r.  I-epse.  He  had  formerly  resided  in  New  Mexico,  and  disappoint 
Diput  in  a  lore  affair  while  there  is  HuppuHed  tu  have  soured  him 
fie  is  aaid  to  have  been  very  occeutric,  and  finally  retired  to  Ban 
(iabriel,  where  lie  married  an  Indian  woman,  and  Ivroted  hiiURelf 
to  the  fttiidy  of  the  aborigines.  He  has  left  io  postonty  some  very 
vnlnable  essays  on  the  language,  hiBtory,  customs,  and  legends  of 
the  Cahnillft  Indians,  which  we  have  made  use  of  in  preparin;;  our 
chapter  on  "Tho  Aborigines."  He  at  one  time  owned  the  Bantu 
Anita  Ranch,  and  also  a  large  part  of  the  propertj  »»ulseiu*"Dtly 
acquired  by  Mr.  B.  D.  Wilson,  and  now  held  by  that  gentlenian't 
widow,  and  by  bio  son-in-law.  .1.  de  Barth  Shorb,  Esq.  Mr.  Reid  died 
at  Los  Angeles,  December  12.  1852." 

There  are  some  corrections  to  be  made  in  the  foregoing  sketch 
of  his  life.  If  my  memory  does  not  play  me  false,  he  was  not  eccen- 
tric, unless  his  marriage  with  an  Indian  woman  could  have  been 
eoiiBidered  an  eccentricity.  He  might  have  "gone  farther  and 
fared  worse,"  as  she  was  a  noble  woman  in  many  respects,  but  be- 
ing an  Indian,  her  noblest  characteriHtics  were  left  to  ba  discov- 
ered by  those  who  lored  her  and  who  knew  her  best.  It  was 
through  her  that  he  acquired  his  wealth,  and  through  her  be  was 
enabled  to  write  his  essays  on  the  life  and  customs  of  the  Indians 
of  the  San  Gabriel  Valley.  His  wife,  "DoBa  Victoria,"  as  everyone 
knew  her,  owned  the  Santa  Anita  Rancbo;  also  the  property  now 
known  as  Lake  Vineyards,  bought  by  Mr.  B.  D.  Wilson,  My  recol- 
hv^on  of  Mr.  Hugo  Iteid  is  that  he  was  a  quiet,  unassuming  gentle- 
man of  literary  tastes. 

It  was  in  the  old  garret  of  his  house  that  I  saw  my  first  Eng- 
lish periodicals.    Seated  on  the  floor,  with  London  Punches  strewn 


■wroBicAi.  ■ocurr  or  aoormmaM  gautokira 


■moa  Ibe  frc*t,  roii|tb-b««o  bMnu  orethend^  ■trans  ^^  ''OP^* 
of  TlflOHM"  AlUj  Toras"  firii>d  wlib  dried  frait,  I  whiled  atrs/  tbe 
long  ■priDie  tkttenom,  regmnllfaa  of  the  outside  world  audi  arooKd 
trnrn  ray  book*  by  UoHa  Victoria  callinic  me  to  oome  down  from 
•moog  ttif  ttftidi'm  mnii  Kop  with  her.  Ltesceodlng  I  wonld  dnd  ber 
p«flf#d  on  (be  ifrouDd  Ju«l  oatalde  tbe  corridor  of  the  boose,  dlrect- 
iDg  ber  Indian  Berrant  to  make  "tortillas."  Beated  before  a  amall 
tin',  dn-Mcd  Id  a  roatly  jtown  nf  hlurk  narfn,  with  an  embroidered 
■bawl  of  crepe  around  htT  aluipflj  HhuuldL-r*,  daintily  taking  the 
biolled  I>e4*f  In  ber  fln((i>ni,  alie  wunid  give  me  a  lesaon  in  Indian 
otlqiiflte.  Not  nit  t\ie  dttinty  diNhi'ii  of  a  king's  ban^net  could 
ei|rifll  Ibf  anforffotlni  flavor  of  that  nimpin  aupiier.  While  eating 
■h<<  would  tell  me  stories,  and  give  me  rules  for  social  life,  the  prin- 
ciples of  whlrh  nilglit  whII  be  engrafted  among  the  rules  of  aocial 
life  loduy. 

l.oMing  ber  only  daughter  a  year  before,  and  I  coming  upon  the 
sf-ene  ufler  ber  death,  (bo  first  white  child  in  her  world,  doubly  en- 
deared me  to  her.  flenerutis  to  u  fault,  she  would  bare  loaded  me 
wllh  her  draigl)(f>r'M  jowelry,  nnd  if  I  did  not  come  to  visit  her  ev- 
ery day  Hiie  would  send  her  wrvant  to  M>e  what  kept  me  from  ber. 

TImii  Mr.  Iteiil  (•diiiHfed  (lieir  iion  nnd  daii^htttf-  in  Cnglisb. 
HpnnlHh  onil  Firnch.  Hhe  convidervd  it  time  thrown  away.  With 
mind  like  a  child  and  ninuuera  like  a  queen,  she  deemed  it  a  waste 
of  life  (o  lenrn  from  haol<(»  what  ithc  had  already  learned  from  na- 
ture. Hlie  nlwayn  Ktild  that  her  [mKceiiHionH  wttre  more  than  hiT  bus- 
hand's,  and  Hhe  knt>w  nothing  about  letters.  That  study  bad  killed 
Uei-  dniiglitcr,  hIic  m'us  llrnily  convinced,  and  so  I  wati  never  allowed 
to  reuialn  In  pniif  iinmng  the  hookn.  Mr.  Reid  made  frequent  vis- 
Its  to  fsrnwsy  countries,  sometimes  to  China  and  the  8andwicb 
Islands,  briiigtug  home  fine  and  beautiful  thinga.  strings  of  pearls, 
diamoiidi,  slllts,  embroidered  shawls  nnd  swceta  from  foreign 
plnces.  His  literary  tnstea  were  seen  in  the  quantity  and  quality 
of  his  bookfl,  niid  you  hove  all  read  his  papers  on  the  Indians  in  the 
IxM  Angeles  Ktiir.  I  bare  plaj'ed  many  tiniea  in  my  childhood  days 
on  the  sonp  worki  deicrlbed  by  him,  and  gathered  many  bunchea 
of  grnpes  from  the  vineyards  around  the  Mitinion  Sun  Qabriel.  Mr. 
Held  built  biH  house  of  adobe,  wlib  walls  four  feet  thick  and  clap- 
boiinb  hauled  from  &au    Bernardino  covered  tbe  root.     But  Dofla 


I 


I 


BCOO  BKTD  AITD   HIS   INDIAN   WIFE 


Its 


Victoria  never  climbed  the  stairs,  dread  of  earthquakes  alwaje 
kept  her  on  the  gi'oond  floor.  Two  things  she  held  in  dread — 
horsea  and  a  carriage,  and  an  oarthiiuake.  A  "carta"  was  safe,  and 
oxe-n  never  ran  away,  was  a  firm  conviction  with  her.  In  one  !&• 
stance  she  was  correct,  in  1S55  her  bouse  was  ruined  hy  an  earth- 
quake. And  on  a  bright  spring  day,  as  we  were  crawling  along 
over  the  road  to  Los  Angeles  in  her  "carreta''  her  "bneys,"  (oxen) 
feeling  spring  in  the  air,  put  springs  to  their  heels,  and  gamboled 
indiscreetly  and  indiscriuiiuntely  over  the  undulating  plaina  to  the 
dls(]ulet  and  disgust  of  the  nalied  Indian  driver,  who  was  left  far  in 
the  rear.  Thus  she  lived  to  see  one  of  her  conrictions,  as  well  as 
the  rest  of  us  upset.  Mr.  Keid's  fine  library  was  scattered  after 
his  death,  the  greater  portion  eame  into  the  possession  of  J.  Lan- 
caster Rront.  The  guardian  he  had  selected  for  his  wife  proved 
dishonest  and  she  was  robbed  of  her  fortune,  even  her  {K-rsonal 
ornaments  were  taken  from  her.  (  saw  her  for  the  last  tima  In 
1863,  when  attended  by  one  faithful  servant  she  came  to  see  her 
"I.allta"  (as  sbo  always  called  me.)  Instead  of  her  satins  and  silk 
she  wore  a  dress  of  common  print,  and  a  qnilt  covered  her  nhonl- 
ders  in  place  of  her  crepe  shawl.  But  she  was  the  same  grand, 
prond,  cheerful  woman.  Hhe  would  accopt  no  favors,  only  wanted 
to  see  and  embrace  me  once  more.  I  never  saw  her  again.  She 
fell  a  victim  of  that  dreaded  diswise,  smallpox.  And  so  passed  from 
my  life  one  opon  whom  conld  be  written  pages  of  praise  for  the 
grandest  and  most  selfHRacriflcIng  life  I  ever  knew. 


116 


HWTOBICAL   flOCTBTY   OF  eOUTHEIUI   CAUTORWIA 


of  Kagenio  V'aldez  on  the  north  and  of  Encamacion  Urqaidez  on  the 
(toutb.  Other  rarly  settlers  on  the  cast  Bide  of  San  Pedro  street  and 
north  of  Oaepar's  place,  were  Ouillcrmo  C^ta  and  Antonio  Maria 
Lugo.  What  was  the  vineyard  of  the  latter  is  now  crossed  by  Sec- 
ond street,  and  his  residence  was  the  lung  adobe  building,  still  stand- 
ing, north  of  the  present  home  of  hia  granddaughter,  Mrs.  Wood- 
worth. 

Mrs.  Valenziiela,  wife  of  Ramon,  who  Btill  enjoys  excollent  health, 
was  bom  at  San  Gabriel  in  1827.  Her  father  was  Tomas  Serrano,  a 
ranchero,  and  her  mother's  maiden  name  was  Nicolosa  Karaja. 

When  Don  IMo  Pico  took  possession  of  San  Luis  Key.  he  placed 
Berrano  in  charge  ns  mayordomo,  and  later  Serrano  was  appointed 
as  administrator  of  tbe  rancho  of  Santa  Margarita. 

WTien  Don  Ramon  and  hia  prospective  bride  were  about  to  be 
n'arried.  Father  Toinaa  Est(^nega,  who  wns  to  solemnize  the  nuptials, 
remarUed  her  youthfiilncHs,  and  concluded  that  before  performlitg 
ibe  ceremony,  he  would  coosnlt  the  record  of  the  date  of  her  bap- 
tism, ond  be  found  that  she  was  jnst  13  years  3  months  and  3  days 
old.  But  Ramon  vuys  her  parents  thought  well  of  him,  etc.,  and  so 
coDsented  to  her  maiTiage  thus  early. 

Tbongb  Ramon  Vatcnzuetn  is  past  the  age  of  four  score  years,  his 
memory  of  jiast  events  continues  unimpaired.  Uis  remembrances 
of  the  part  he  took  in  military  actions  pending  the  cbange  of  goT- 
ernment  are  very  Tirid-  He  was  a  cavalryman  at  the  UomiDguoi 
rsncho  affair,  where  the  Californians  compelled  the  Americans  to  re- 
treat with  considerable  loss.  Jos<*  .\otouio  Carrillo  was  command- 
ante  of  the  Californians,  about  60  in  number,  who  were  mounted  but 
without  arms,  except  the  small  cannon  known  as  the  "^old  woman's 
gun."  But  as  the  Americans  bad  no  cannou,  tbey  wera  couiiHilled 
Id  Bclfdefense  to  maneuver  in  solid  column,  which  enabled  the  Cali- 
fornians to  draw  up  tboir  cannon  by  means  of  tbeir  riataa  hitched  to 
the  horns  of  their  saddles,  Are  into  a  campact  muss  of  infantry  at 
comparatively  close  range,  with  deadly  effect,  and  then  turn  and 
ride  rnpidly  to  the  rear,  where,  out  of  range,  they  could  load  again. 
and  so  repeat  the  operation  indefinitely,  without  serious  loss  on  their 
side.  The  Americans  were  forced  to  withdraw,  carrying  their  dead 
with  them,  which  they  buried  on  "Dead  Man's  Island."  And  mi 
ended  that  incident. 


TBS   STORY   or   A   NATIVZ   CALirORKlAH 


lU 


of  UBefal  occupations.  Of  thnsc  laborers  Don  Claudio  bad  general 
rliarge.  as  well  as  of  the  capacious  iidnbe  warehouses  at  the  mission, 
wbich  were  the  scenes  of  a  bus.v  life,  biil  which,  like  the  adorn — 
orereeera  and  laborers — have  entirely  disappeared;  indeed,  to  Ihe 
greater  portion  of  tho  present  generation  they  are  os  if  they  had 
never  existed. 

Don  Ramon  says  that  they  used  to  slanghter  some  twelve  or  flf- 
teon  bullocks  each  Saturday  to  feed  the  Indian  laborers  of  the  mis- 
sion atone,  besides  those  killed  at  the  several  rancbos. 

The  plains  at  thai  i>eriod  were  covwed  wiili  cattle,  horses,  abeep. 
goats,  swine,  etc.,  i.e.  con  gauado  mayor  y  mcuor. 

The  various  industries  carried  ou  at  the  mission  at  that  period 
wero  the  making  of  saddles,  fabrics  of  wool,  such  as  coarse  blankets, 
stuffs  to  clothe  the  Indians,  etc.,  and  the  mannfaclaring  of  wine, 
brandy,  oil,  soap,  blacksmith  in  g,  etc.  Near  the  mission  there  was  a 
large  "Jnboneria,"'  whew*  whole  hogs  were  dressed  and  tried  out  for 
conversion  into  soap. 

Don  Oaspar,  father  of  Kanion,  was  a  soldier  from  Ban  Diego,  sta- 
tioned with  the  small  force  of  eight  men  and  a  sergeant  at  Ban  Qa- 
brifO,  where  he  married  a  daughter  of  Chiudio  Lopez.  Of  the  eleven 
children  of  Oaspar,  five  are  still  living,  namely.  Bumon,  in  this  city, 
and  .lose  Yguacio  at  \m  Bnllona;  Maria,  married  to  Pedro  l*barra; 
Est^^fana,  widow  of  .Totw^  Sepulveda  of  San  .TotM*;  Cesaria,  widow,  tlrst 
of  Tgnncio  Agiiilar  and  second  of  IxirenKana  of  this  city. 

Ramon,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  married  to  Asencion  Ser- 
rano, by  Father  Tomas  Est^^negn,  in  ItUtI,  at  San  Onbriel  Mission. 
To  them  14  children  w.to  bom.  of  whom  5  sons  and  4  daughters  are 
stilt  living,  mostly  in  Ix)b  Angeles. 

In  182S  Don  Gaspar,  father  of  Kamon.  after  many  years  of  faith- 
ful service  at  the  mission,  was  discharged  from  military  service,  and 
eame  to  the  Pneblo  as  a  citizen,  and  was  granted  a  lot  on  the  east 
side  of  San  Pedro  sti-eet,  northeast  corner  of  what  is  now  Fifth  street, 
where  he  planted  a  vineyard  and  orchard,  and  whern  he  lived  till  hit 
death,  which  occurred  in  1849, 

Claudio  Lopex  (Ramon  ValeuEuela's  maternal  grandfathor)  while 
still  mayordomo  at  the  mission,  had  commenced  planting  an  orrhard 
and  vineyard  in  the  Pueblo  on  tbe  west  side  of  San  Pedro  street,  op- 
posite tbe  place  of  bis  sonin-taw.  Gaspar,  and  between  the  huortaa 


118  HiffiOBicAL  boghty  or  southkrn  caufobhxa 

Valeneaela,  now  a  venerable  octogenarian,  Bay,  when  I  waa  taking 
down  these  notes,  that  "Don  Qnillenno"  Wolfskill  had  heen  like  a 
father  to  him. 

And  BO  I  have  often  heard  the  older  natiTe  Galifomians  nnifonnly 
speak  with  warm  affection  of  "Don  Benito"  Wilson,  whose  friendship 
for  them  and  for  their  race  had  ever  been  so  disinterested  and  so 
honorable. 

The  Califomians,  as  well  aa  the  Americans,  who  took  part  la  the 
stirring  events  connected  with  the  change  of  government,  now  more 
than  half  a  century  ago,  will  soon  all  have  passed  away. 


PACIFIC  COAST  DISCOVERIES 

BY  ALBERT  E.  YEREX,  A.M.  L.UB. 
(Read  Oct.  7,  1898.) 

The  Cartographical  HiBtorj  of  the  Pacific  Coast  of  North  Amer- 
ica is  ODe  of  vague,  shadowy  and  unstable  annnise  of  long  duration. 

The  views  of  Columbus  and  hia  cotemporuripB  are  best  Hbown  in 
wlial  are  known  as  the  I-a  Cosa  map  and  the  Ruiscb  map,  which 
Bimply  delineate  very  inaccurately  a  few  of  the  West  Indian  lal- 
and«.  a  part  of  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  Florida  and  the  coast  line  a  few 
hundred  miles  northward.  These  maps  prevented  for  a  long  time 
after  the  coming  of  the  Europeans  the  possibility  of  the  very  ex- 
istence of  a  Pat^^iOc  Coast;  and  1  might  add.  thai  the  Asiatic  theory 
of  the  new-found  lands  was  maiutained  with  more  or  less  modifi- 
cation for  a  full  century  after  Columbus.  In  many  of  thn  earliest 
maps  the  Pacific  Const  was  avoided  by  cutting  oft  the  western  ex- 
tention  of  the  new  continent  by  the  cnlge  of  The  sheet,  but  the  con- 
fession of  an  Asiatic  belief  was  still  made  sometimes  in  other 
ways,  as  when  in  a  certain  Portuguese  map  made  between  1516  and 
1521)  showing  Mahometan  tlags  on  the  consta  of  Venezuela  and 
Nleamgno.  This  map  is  now  being  preserved  in  the  Rnyal  Library 
at  Munich.  In  1526  a  rare  booh  of  the  Monk  Francisctis  contained 
a  map  which  n'presentnd  South  America  as  a  huge  island,  dis- 
joined from  the  Asiatic  Cnast  by  a  strait  in  the  neighborhood  of 
Tehuanlc'pee  which  aa  you  know  is  located  a  little  north  of  the 
tioundary  line  between  Mtaico  and  Guatemala,  with  the  legend  "hoc 
orbuB  hemisphaerium  cedit  regi  Hispaniae"  (New  Rpain  eitends  to 
this  place.)  A  few  yeara  later  we  find  two  othor  maps  showing  this 
Asiatic  connection,  one  of  which,  the  Orontius  FInueus  Globe,  is 
well  known,  and  is  the  earliest  engraved  map  showing  a  return  to 
the  ideas  of  Columbus.  This  map  was  made  in  the  year  1531.  and 
was  quite  extensively  circulated.  It  ia  formed  on  a  cordiform  or 
heart  shaped  projection,  and  is  entitled  "Nova  et  Integra  universi 
orbia  deacriptio,"  {a  description  of  the  new-found  land.)  This  map 
was  published  quite  extensively  up  to  1572.    Id  1533  Francis  I.,  in 


120 


HtSTOBicAL  BOdrrr  or  rouTHsajt  cA.LTroft!nA 


coromisBioDing  Carticr  for  hia  exploration,  called  the  8t.  Lawreace 
Vullpy  a  part  of  Asia. 

The  same  vi«w  U  maiDtaiaed  in  a  manuscript  map  of  Roscelli, 
(be  Italian  geographer,  preserved  in  the  Britiah  Museam,  At  this 
time  it  was  generaUy  supposed  that  North  America  and  Europe 
were  united  by  land.  By  reference  to  maps  appearing  during  the 
latter  part  of  the  15th  centnry,  Greenland,  then  known  aa  Bacal- 
luoB,  was  made  a  prolongation  of  Northwestern  Eun>p(*.  A  map 
called  the  Carta  Marina,  published  by  Gostaldi  at  Venice  in  1543, 
showB  meet  clearly  the  prevailing  theories  as  to  the  overland  con- 
ncctioD  with  both  A»ia  and  Europe,  as  well  as  a  designation  of 
geogrnpLical  and  political  divisions  on  thia  continent.  About  the 
year  1B50  we  And  the  first  objection  to  the  Asiatic  theory  by 
Gostaldi.  who  only  two  years  earlier  madn  the  (^rta  Marina  map 
above  described.  In  bin  second  map  he  disjoined  the  Western 
CoASt  of  America  from  the  Asiatic  by  a  narrow  strait.  This  theory 
was  followed  by  Uosi'olU  (previously  referred  to,)  in  1561. 

No  diBcoveries,  however,  had  actually  been  made  up  to  this  time 
to  guide  these  latter  gentlemen,  thoir  statements  being  purely  the- 
oretical. Two  maps  now  preserved  at  Florence  which  belonged  to 
about  the  yoar  1550,  show  an  Asiatic  connection,  and  extend  the 
California  Const  to  the  Ganges.  The  Italian  cartographer,  Paul 
de  Furlani,  ninde  a  map  in  1560,  which  is  preserved  in  the  British 
MuBi'um,  mid  depicts  Chinamen  and  elephants  in  the  region  of  the 
Mississippi  Valley. 

A  land  connection  with  .\sia  is  again  adhered  to  by  Johannea 
MyrituB  in  a  map  drawn  by  him  in  1597.  In  159l>  Livio  l^anuto 
loudly  disputed  the  Asiatic  theory  on  the  ground  that  the  Mexicans 
would  not  have  shown  surpriRe  at  horses  in  Cortes'  time  if  they 
formerly  had  been  inhabitants  of  a  continent  like  Asia,  where 
horses  are  common.  The  latest  use  of  the  type  of  map  shown  in  the 
Carta  Marina  was  just  a  half  centruy  later,  viz.,  in  159S.  The  be- 
lief, however,  still  lingered  for  many  years  in  some  quarters,  and 
Thomas  Morton,  in  1C36,  showed  that  in  New  England  it  was  not 
jet  decided  whether  the  continwit  of  America  did  not  border  opon 
the  country  of  the  Tartars.  Indeed,  the  last  trace  of  this  theory 
was  not  blown  awny  until  Behring,  in  1728,  passed  from  the  Pa- 
cific to  the  Arctic  Swi. 

Soch  in  brief  la  the  history  of  the  inception  and  decline  of    the 


PACTPIC  COAST   DISOOVERICR 


131 


belief  in  the  proloogation  of  Asia  over  agaiDst  tbig  Western  Coaet. 
And,  as  baa  been  suBpectcKcl  bj  geographers  at  interrals  since  tbe 
time  of  KrastoHtbenes,  third  centur.v,  B  .C,  who  accepted  the  spber- 
ivn\  theory  and  bad  advanced  tbe  identical  notion  which  nearlj 
1700  years  latM*  impelled  Columbus  to  bis  voyage.  The  begiooing 
of  tbe  declioe  of  sucb  belief  is  traced  to  tbe  movements  of  Cortes. 
Italboa  in  1513  by  his  discovery  of  tbe  South  Sea,  later  to  be  called 
tbn  Pacific  Ocean,  which  name  was  given  to  it  by  Magellan  in  1020, 
had  eBtablisbed  tbe  continental  form  of  South  America,  whose  lim- 
ita  southward  were  fixed  by  Magellan,  but  it  was  left  for  Cortes  to 
11  may  be  interestuig  to  note  right  here  that  the  Portuguese  bad 
pushed  on  eastward  beyond  the  great  peninsula  of  India  aud  had 
reached  the  Moluccas  in  1511,  where  they  satisfied  tbemselvett 
begin  tbe  exploration  to  tbe  North  which  Behring  consummated, 
there  was  a  long  space  interrening  yet  before  they  would  confront 
the  Spaniards  pursuing  their  westerly  route.  The  voyage  of  Mu 
gellan,  as  we  shall  see,  seems  to  bring  the  solution  near,  aud  if  we 
may  believe  Scotto,  tbe  Genoese  geographer,  at  about  the  same 
dat^  1520,  the  Portuguese  bad  crossed  the  Pacific  easterly  and 
struck  our  Northwest  Coast.  A  new  understanding  between  the 
rival  crowns  of  Spain  and  Portugal  closed  the  question  rather  ab- 
niptly  through  a  sale  in  1529  by  Spain  to  Portugal  of  all  her  rights 
to  the  Moluccas  for  350,000  ducats;  this  was  known  as  the  treaty 
of  Saragoasa.  Cortes  od  his  return  from  Spain,  in  1530,  resolved 
to  push  his  discoveries  up  the  coast.  The  Spaniards  now  occnpied 
Theuantepec,  Acapuico  and  Zacatola  on  the  sea,  and  Spaniards 
were  also  to  be  found  at  Caliacan,  Just  within  the  Onlf  of  Cali- 
fornia on  its  eastern  shore.  Up  to  this  time  the  Spaniards  bad  not 
succeeded  in  developing  tbe  coast  farther  north  than  the  Gulf  of 
California;  and  here  Cortes'  discoveries  on  the  Pacific  Coast  ends; 
for  Mendoza,  the  newly  appointed  Viceroy,  had  visions  of  his  own, 
and  thwarted  him  in  all  his  subsequent  attempts,  till  finally  Cortes 
himself  went  to  Spain.  The  name  which  Cortes  Captains  gave  to 
the  gulf,  "the  Sea  of  Cortes,"  failed  to  abide.  It  grew  to  be  gen- 
erally called  the  "Red  Sea,"  ont  of  some  fancied  reaemblance  to  the 
Red  Sea  of  the  Old  World.  This  uppellatlon  was  supplanted  in 
torn  by  tbe  name  of  California,  which  it  is  contended,  was  given  to 
the  peninsula  by  Cortes  himself.  The  origin  of  the  name,  however, 
has  been  a  cause  of  dispotc.    Prof.  Jules  Marcoa  claims  that  it  was 


12S 


BUTORiCAL  BOCIETV    OP  BOUTHEBII   rALIPORjnA 


■imply  a  deei^atlon  oMd  hy  Corte*  to  diBtln^sti  a  land  which 
we  now  kDOw  to  be  the  hottest  in  the  two  Americas,  Tierra  Califor 
nia,  derived  from  Calida  Forna,  meaning  "fiery  furnace."    Bancroft 

pnintfl  otit  a  rariBty  of  equivalent  derivationa. 

Edward  E.  Hale,  in  1862,  traced  the  name  to  a  nnnance  published 
it  id  Boppoaed,  in  ISIO,  which  might  easily  enough  have  been  a  pop 
nlnr  hook  with  the  Spanish  followers  of  Cortes.  In  this  romance  a 
certain  Kmpnror  of  the  Greeks  defends  Constantinople  againnt  the 
Infldola  of  the  East.  A  pa^^an  Queen  of  AmnznnB  brings  an  army 
of  Amazons  to  the  succor  of  the  Infidels.  This  imaginary  Queen  Is 
named  Calafla,  and  her  kingdom  la  called  California,  a  name  possi- 
bly derived  fi-om  Calif,  which  to  the  readers  of  such  a  book  would 
be  associated  with  the  East.  California  in  the  romance  ia  r^re 
seated  as  au  island  rich  with  gold  and  diamonds  and  pearls.  That 
this  name  ha  an  omen  of  wealth  strnck  the  fancy  of  Cortwi  is  the 
theory  of  Dr.  Dale,  who  adds  "that  as  a  western  pioneer  now  gives 
the  name  of  Eden  to  bis  new  home,  bo  Cortes  called  his  new  din- 
covery  California."  It  was  not  nntil  1542  that  an  eS'ort  was  made 
to  reach  farther  north  than  what  is  now  Lower  California.  At  this 
time  CabriLlo,  a  Portugnese  in  the  Spanish  senrica.  explored  the 
coast  as  far  as  44  degi'ees  north,  which  would  take  us  to  about  the 
boundary  Hue  between  Washington  and  Oregon.  Thus  from  the 
timci  Dalboa  discovered  the  Pacific  the  Spanish  bad  taken  30  years 
to  develop  the  coast  northerly  to  the  latitude  of  Oregon.  In  this 
distance  they  bad  found  nothing  of  the  Straits  of  Anian,  which,  itfl 
Unmbolt  is  coiTect,  bad  begun  to  take  form  in  peopte's  minds  ever 
since  Cortoreal  in  150U  had  supposed  Hudson's  Straits  to  be  the 
easterly  entrance  of  a  westerly  passage.  The  earliest  maps  up  tof 
as  late  a  date  as  1757  showed  California  to  be  an  island. 

Companios.  in  speaking  of  California,  rtMuarked  about  1604,  that 
it  is  the  largest  island  which  the  Bpaniords  possess  iu  America. 
And  it  was  not  until  1750  that  California  was  at  last  detlned  in  Its 
real  ^reograpbical  relations.  The  lingering  suspicion  of  the  north- 
erly connection  of  the  California  Uulf  with  tJie  ocean  had  now 
nearly  vanished;  and  the  peninsula  which  bad  been  an  Island  nnder 
Cortes,  then  for  nearly  a  centnry  connected  with  the  main  land, 
and  then  again  for  more  than  a  century  in    many  minds  an  island 


I 

I 
I 


PACIFIC   COAST  DISCOVERIES  123 

again,  wa«  at  last  defined  aa  we  now  know  it.    The  coast  line,  how- 
ever,  long  remained  abadowy  in  a  higher  latitude. 

EAELIEST  MAPS  AND  CONSECUTIVE  DATES. 

La  Cosa,  year  1500;  Buysch,  1508;  The  Pacific,  1513;  Homen,  1540; 
CaFtilJes,  1541;  Cabot,  1544;  Carta  Marina,  1548;  Ptolemy,  1548; 
Martines,  1555 — the  first  to  gire  complete  outline  of  coast;  Paule 
de  Furlani,  1574;  Sir  Humphrey  Gilbert,  1576. 

Sir  Francis  Drake  visitod  the  Coast,  including  Oregon,  aa  early 
as  1579,  and  claimed  the  country  for  England  under  the  name  of 
New  Alhion. 


SOME  FAMOUS  GOLD  RUSHES 


BT  J.  M.  GUINN. 
(Bead  Apri>:  4,  1898.) 

Mining  ruflhen  are  eccentric,  erratic  and  epidemic.  They  break 
out  in  nnlikelj  places  when  least  nxpected,  become  contagious,  then 
disappear  as  euddenly  aa  the^r  came. 

In  the  Klondike  excitement  the  old-time  "gold  rush"  has  come 
again.  It  is  more  than  a  third  of  a  rentur,v  sinco  we  had  a  genuine 
epidemic  gold  raiih.  The  gold  fever  of  early  California  days  waa 
popularly  aupposed  to  be  one  of  the  lost  epidemics.  But  an  old- 
time  rash  in  on,  and  symptoms  of  gold  ferer  ar«  prevalent  even 
among  Silver  Republicans. 

Most  of  the  old-time  miners  who  were  wont  to  rash  on  the  first 
rumor  of  a  rich  strike  in  some  new  region  have  passed  over  the  di- 
vide to— "The  undiscovered  country  from  whose  bourn  no  traveler 
returns" — and  no  prospector  either.  Tbe  few  of  the  old  rushers 
who  remain  this  side  of  tbe  divide,  broken  in  health  or  borne  down 
with  tbe  infirmities  of  age  are  no  longer  able  to  rush;  but  the  rumor 
of  B  rich  strike  still  stirs  the  b!ood  in  their  veins  and  *&ch  pathet- 
irally  sighs  "Oh.  if  I  were  only  young  again,  I  would  i;o  too." 

Tbe  gold  rush  came  early  in  tbe  history  of  California  placor  min- 
ing. Some  were  fakes,  pure  and  simple,  others  were  the  direct 
causes  of  opening  up  extensire  gold  fields  that  added  immensely  to 
the  world's  sloi-e  of  the  precious  metat.  It  is  not  of  tbe  fakes  that 
I  write.  The  stories  of  the  quests  for  the  "Lost  Cabin,"  tbe  "Cement 
I^de,"  the  "waf^oo-tire  diggings"  and  the  many  other  igues  fatal 
that  lured  honest  miners  over  mountains  and  deserts  are  interesting 
bot  do  not  pertain  to  tbe  subject  of  this  paper.  Klondike  is  oot  a 
fake,  not  an  illusion,  but  many  a  rush  with  as  substantial  a  bnie  as 
Klondike  endod  as  the  Klondike  rush  will  end,  in  disap^wintmeut 
to  tbe  many  and  fortunes  to  a  very  few. 

One  of  the  eaoMest  of  California  mining  rushes  was  the  flold 
Bluff  excitement    On  the  Northwest  Coast  of  California,  near    tba 


I 


SOME   FAHOUa  GOLD  BUSHES 


126 


month  of  the  Klamath  River.  precipitoTis  bloffs,  400  feet  high,  mark 
the  coast  line  of  the  ocean.  A  party  of  proBpectora  in  the  fall  of 
1850,  who  had  been  np  in  the  Del  Norte  coantry,  were  making  their 
way  down  to  the  little  trading  and  trapping  Htation  of  Trinidad  to 
procure  provigions.  On  reaching  the  Bluffs,  thirty  miles  above  Trin- 
idad, they  were  astonished  to  Qnd  stretching  ont  before  them  a 
beach  (flittering  with  golden  eande.  They  could  not  stop  to  gather 
gold;  they  were  starving.  So,  scraping  up  a  few  handfnls  of  the 
glittering  sands  they  baateoed  on.  In  due  time  they  reached  Bon 
Francisco,  where  they  exhibited  their  sand,  which  proved  to  be 
nearly  half  gold.  The  excitement  began.  Companies  were  formed 
and  claims  located  at  long  range.  One  company  of  nine  locator« 
sent  an  expert  to  examine  their  claims.  He,  by  a  careful  mathe- 
matical calculation,  ascertained  that  the  claim  would  yield  forty- 
three  million  dollars  to  each  partner.  As  there  was  IR  miles  of 
gold  beacli.  the  amount  of  gold  in  the  sands  was  siifflclent  to  de- 
monetize the  precious  metal.  A  laudable  desire  to  benefit  the  hu- 
man race  possessed  some  of  the  claim  owners.  They  formed  a  joint 
stock  company,  with  sharea  at  f  100  each.  This  was  the  drat  of  those 
joint  stock  schemes  for  dividing  profits  of  mining  ventures  that  be- 
came BO  common  later  on  in  California,  and  are  today  very  popular 
in  the  Klondike  craze — schemes  that  nsually  end  in  dividing  the 
shoreholders'  money  among  the  projectors  of  the  Bwindt&  Gold 
BInff  mining  stock  went  oft  like  the  proverbial  hot  cakes,  and  pros- 
pectors went  off  as  rapidly.  Within  two  days  after  the  expert's 
wonderful  story  was  sproad  abroad  nine  ships  were  fitted  out  for 
Gold  Bluff.  The  first  to  arrive  off  the  Bluffs  was  the  vessel  contain- 
ing a  party  of  the  original  discoverers.  In  attempting  to  land  in  a 
boar,  the  boat  was  npset  in  the  breakers  and  five  of  the  six  occu- 
pants drowned,  Bertram,  the  leader  of  the  party  making  the  dis- 
covery, alone  escaping.  The  vessel  put  back  to  Trinidad  and  the 
gold  liunters  made  their  way  np  the  const  to  the  Bluffs.  But  alas!  for 
their  golden  dreams.  Where  they  had  ho|>od  to  gather  gold  by  the 
shipload  no  gold  was  to  be  seen.  OM  ocean  hod  gathered  it  back 
to  his  treasnre  vaults. 

The  bubble  burst  as  suddenly  as  It  had  expanded.  And  yet  tber« 
was  gold  at  Gold  Bluffs,  and  there  is  gold  there  yet.  If  the  ocean 
could  bi*  droined  or  coffer-dammed  for  two  hnndred  miles  along  the 
gold  coast  of  Northera  California  and  Oregon    all  the    wealth  of 


m 


earvfa  for  oew  gold  flelda  to  ronqier, 
vhQe  ihtBikiBli  tram  tkis  arvT  hare  plodded  in  Uie  rooa's  of 
ffritiifc  Ottaahia,  karv  pcDKrttnl  tbe  Jonglee  of  Panama,  bare 
ttlM  down  to  Pen  maA  climbed  the  Andes  to  the  bead  watpra  of 
tbe  \mmaam — aad  tbe  sorriron  of  tbne  detarhmenta  hare  rejotD«d 
tbe  ■■!•  mrmy  riA  in  ezpt^mc«  bat  poor  in  everything  i>lHe. 

After  tbe  wiM  firrasj  of  Kent  River  the  prees  of  the  Rtate  con- 
fntntetfid  ibr  public  with  tbe  asBunince  that  tbe  era  of  wild  ruabes 
mam  paat — *whai  bad  b4><>n  loat  in  moner  had  been  gained  in  expc 
rinwe.**  Aa  if  a  prospector  ever  profited  by  experinee.  Bcarcoly 
had  the  rictima  of  Kern  River  reeuined  work  in  the  old  creeks  and 
canoos  ihoj  bad  deserted  when  a  mmor  comeB,  faint  at  first,  but 
i:a(berlBg  atren^h  at  each  repetition,  that  rich  diKginga  have  been 
atraek  In  the  far  North.  This  time  it  is  Frazer  River.  True,  Frazer 
lUver  is  in  Itritiah  Colombia,  but  what  of  that!  There  are  pnongh 
uinent  in  raliforoia  to  seise  tbe  country  and  hold  it  nntil  tbe  cream 
of  the  mines  boa  been  akinimed.  Rumors  of  the  ncbness  of  tbe 
mines  increased  with  every  arrival  of  a  ateamor  from  the  north. 
Captains,  pnraers,  mates,  cooka  and  waiters  conllrmed  the  atories  of 
rich  strikes.  Doabtera  asserted  that  the  dnst  and  nnggetH  exhib- 
ited had  made  the  round  trip  from  Ban  Franciaco  to  Victoria  and 
back.  But  they  wero  silenced  by  the  aaaiirance  that  the  tranapor- 
tation  company  was  preparing  to  double  the  number  of  ita  vesacla. 
Commodore  Wrigbt  was  too  amart  to  run  bla  steamers  on  fake  re- 
porta.  And  tbe  very  thing  that  ahould  ha>-c  caused  stispicfon  was 
used  to  t'Onflrm  tbo  truth  of  the  nimora.  The  doubters  doubted  no 
more,  but  packed  their  outSta  for  Frazer  River. 

California  was  played  out.  "miere  could  an  honest  miner  pan  ont 
a  hundred  dollars  a  day  in  California?  He  conld  do  it  every  day  in 
Piiuer — the  papers  said  so.  Tho  first  notice  of  the  mines  was  pub- 
lished ill  Marcb,  1S5S.  The  rush  began  in  the  latter  part  of  April, 
end  In  Tour  monthe  thirty  thousand  men — one-sixth  of  tbe  voting 
population  of  the  Htate — had  rushed  to  tbe  mines. 

The  elTH't  of  the  craze  was  dtanstrona  to  business  in  OiHforaia. 
Farms  were  abandoned  and  crops  lost  for  want  of  hands  to  harvest 
them.  Rich  claims  in  the  old  diggings  were  sold  for  a  trifie  of  their 
™iue.  Lot«  on  Montgomery  street  that  ten  years  lator  were  worth 
ll.MKl  a  front  foot,  were  sold  for  $100.  Real  estate  in  the  interior 
towns  was  sucriflced  at  50  to  75  per  cent,  less  than  it  was  worth 


anME   FAMOUS  GOLD   R08HBS 


127 


struck  the  old  pueblo  like  a  pyrlone.  Every  HteaiiM^r  do^n  the 
coast  was  loaded  to  tbc  guards  with  adventnrerB  for  the  miDoa.  The 
sleepy  old  metropolia  of  the  cow  countios  found  itself  siiddcnlj 
transformed  into  a  bustling  mining  camp.  The  Southern  Oaliforninn 
of  Feb.  8,  1855,  thus  describes  the  sltoatioQ.  "The  road  from  our 
TaHey  is  literally  thronged  with  people  on  their  way  to  the  mines. 
Hnndreds  of  people  have  been  leaving  not  only  the  city,  but  every 
portion  of  the  county.  Every  description  of  Tehicle  and  animal 
have  been  brought  into  requisition  to  take  the  exultant  seekers 
after  wealth  to  the  goal  of  their  hopes.  ImroenBd  ten-mule  wagons 
Strang  oat  one  after  another;  long  trains  of  pack  mules  and  men 
mounted  and  on  foot,  wifb  picks  and  shovels;  boarding-house  keep- 
ers with  their  tents;  merchants  with  their  stocks  of  miners'  necesstt- 
ries  and  gamblers  with  their  "papers"  are  constantly  leaving  for 
the  Kern  River  mines.  The  wildest  stories  are  afloat.  We  do  not 
place  implicit  reliance,  however,  upon  these  stories.  H  the  mines 
turn  out  ten  dollars  a  day  to  the  man  everybody  ought  to  be  satis- 
fied. The  opening  of  these  mines  has  t>een  a  godsend  to  all  of  us, 
as  the  business  of  the  entire  country  was  on  the  point  of  taking  to 
a  tree."  As  the  boom  increased  our  editor  grows  more  jubilant.  In 
his  issue  of  March  7th  he  throws  out  these  headlines: 

"Stop  the  Press!  Glorious  News  from  Kern  River!  Bring  out  the 
Big  Qnn!  There  are  a  thousand  gulches  rich  with  gold  and  room  for 
ten  thousand  miners.  Miners  averaging  1.10  a  day.  One  man  with 
his  own  hands  took  out  9^fH)  in  n  day.  Five  men  in  ten  days  took 
out  »45(I0." 

Another  stn^am  of  miners  and  adventurers  was  pouring  into  the 
mines  by  way  of  the  8an  Joaquin  Valley.  From  Stockton  to  Kern 
River,  a  distance  of  800  miles,  the  road  was  crowded  with  men  on 
foot,  on  stages,  on  horseback  and  on  every  form  of  conveyance  Ihat 
wonld  take  them  to  the  new  FA  Dorado.  In  four  months  Ave  or  six 
thoaaand  men  had  found  their  way  Into  the  Kern  River  Valley. 
There  was  gold  there,  but  not  enough  to  go  round.  A  few  struck  It 
rich,  the  many  struck  nothing  but  "hard  lurk,"  and  the  rush  out  be- 
gan. Those  who  had  ridden  into  the  valley  footed  It  out  and  ihosc 
who  footed  it  in  on  sole  leather  footed  it  out  on  their  natural  soles 
or  depended  on  sackcloth  or  charily.  Rcven  years  have  [>as8od  since 
the  first  discovery  of  gold  in  California,  and  in  that  time  the  grand 
army  of  gold  seekers  has  swept  bnck  and  forth  from  Klamath  in  the 


130  HI8T0BICAL  SOCIETY   OV   80UTHBBN   GALIFORinA 

Qrimee  was  killed  by  the  Indians.  The  enrriTOrB  of  the  party  built 
a  fort  and  stood  a  long  siege  by  the  redskins  before  they  made  their 
escape.  The  creek  where  the  flrat  discoTery  was  mada  was  named 
after  Qrimes  and  the  camp  where  the  fort  was  bnilt  was  called 
Hog^em,  because  the  first  locators  tried  to  "hog"  all  the  claims  on 
the  creek;  later  on  it  became  "Pioneer  Oity,"  bat  no  old  Boise  pio- 
ne^  ever  recogniied  it  by  that  name. 


NOTES  ON  THE  HISSION  SAN  GABRIEL 


BY  REV.  J.  ADAM,  V.G. 

(Kead  Doc.  6,  1898.) 

Among  the  otd  books,  I  have  found  one  that  says  (trannlated  into 
EoKlinh:)  "Book  in  which  are  entered  the  must  notable  things  for 
the  direction  of  the  Missionary  Fatbera  of  this  MiHi^ion  of  tbe 
ArcIiauBel  8t.  Gabriel,  eatubliahed  on  the  eighth  of  September.  1771." 

The  book  ia  written  hj  Father  Francisco  Palon,  bosom  friend 
and  com])anion  of  Very  Rev,  Fa(her  Junipero  Serrn.  He  Bars  on 
the  first  page:  "In  September,  17r»7,  alt  the  fathers  being  gathered 
together  in  our  honse  of  t>anta  Cms  of  Tepic.  who  had  left  the  col- 
lege of  Ban  Fernando,  Mex.,  to  go  to  the  Califomias,  and  knowing 
tho  great  distance  that  would  exist  between  said  missions,  and  our 
rollet^e.  we  agreed  that  on  the  death  of  one  of  our  number  at  the 
toimions,  the  otbere  would  offer  20  masses  for  the  repose  of  his 
soul,  and  it  is  signed  hy  Father  I*alou  in  the  Mission  of  8an  Gabriel 
OB  the  dth  of  October,  1773.  The  first  suffrage  waa  made  for  Father 
Lnis  Jaume,  who  was  killed  bj  the  Indians  of  Han  Diego  at  the  com- 
mencement of  the  mission.  Then  suffragos  were  made  for  Father 
John  ChriBOBtom  Gil  and  Felipe  Oultlon,  both  killed  br  the  Apaches. 
We  read  also  the  masses  of  Father  Juan  Diaz,  Franco  Garces,  Jo- 
6<'ph  Matias  Moreno  and  Juan  Uartieneckc,  who  were  killed  by  the 
Indians  of  the  Colorado. 

Masses  were  also  ^aid  for  the  soul  of  Father  Franco  Pujol  of  Ihe 
Mission  of  San  Miguel.  "Jt  is  suspected,"  says  the  writer,  "that 
ho  was  poisoned."  We  find  the  names  of  42  missionaries  fur  whom 
reqniem  masses  were  said  from  1773  to  11*03.  Among  the  last  we 
find  the  name  of  Very  Rev.  Father  Fermin  Frauclwo  l^sucu, 
president  of  theso  missions  (who  succeeded  Father  ralon.)  who  d>ed 
June  26,  1803,  and  also  of  Father  Miguel  Sanchex,  for  many  years 
missionary  at  San  Gabriel,  who  died  on  the  27th  of  July,  1803.  He 
had  been  a  constant  sufferer  from  the  asthma. 

On  page  11  we  read  that  the  Viceroy  of  Now    Spain,  His  Excel- 


133 


HISTORICAL  BOCimr  or  SOTTHERN  CAUTOBNU 


lency,  Dod  Antonio  Maria  Bncareli,  in  a  lecree  nf  Mny,  1T72,  ap- 
pruved  tbe  withdrawal  from  Lower  California  of  tlie  Franciscan 
Fathers  in  favor  of  tLe  DotnlDicans,  who  asBomed  charge  of  said 
misHionk,  while  the  Frauciscans  took  charge  of  those  of  Upper  Call- 
forniu.  The  Viceroy  and  their  Biiperior  general  in  Mexico,  required 
Hicb  miasiouar^  to  gire  a  report  of  the  temporal  and  Hpiritual  state 
of  bill  miBsion  each  year.  "It  being  impossible,"  says  Falou,  "for 
tbe  president  of  these  miHsioiitt  to  visit  each  locality,  I  therefore 
beg  each  miusiouary  to  send,  at  the  end  of  tbe  year,  said  report  to 
the  pretiident  of  the  missions.  For  this  purpose  1  require  tbe  Rer. 
missionaries  of  this  church  and  MissioD  of  Ban  Gabriel  to  send  ev 
er/  year  in  December  ali  iufomiatjon  ur  exact  report  of  the  state  of 
their  mission,  showing  the  nnmber  of  baptisms,  marriages  and 
deaths,  and  the  number  of  families,  and  what  hopes  they  have  of 
tbo  conver»iou  of  (he  other  gentiles  of  the  neighboring  rancbos^ 
und  if  there  is  any  obstacle  in  tbe  way  preventing  said  convcrsioa, 
and  that  thpy  should  ("xpresa  theineelves  freely,  bo  that  the  superiora 
may  a])ply  the  remedy  for  the  evil.  They  are  cautioned  in  case  of 
any  grievance  not  to  have  recourse  to  the  Royal  Judge,  but  let  the 
complaint  be  presented  or  forwarded  to  the  Kev,  president,  who 
acta  as  judge  for  these  misHions;  and  if  recourse  must  be  made  to 
tbe  Viceroy,  let  it  be  made  by  the  guardian  of  his  council.  Father 
Palon  requires  them  also,  in  this  book  tu  report  the  treasures  or 
furniture  of  church  or  sacnaly,  and  of  their  houses;  the  number  of 
cattle,  and  the  nnmber  of  new  buildings  ereeted  since  tbe  last  re- 
l>ort;  how  many  acres  of  land  have  been  cultivated  and  with  what 
results;  and  if  their  crops  have  failed  they  should  report  the 
causes  thereof.  If  anything  should  happen  during  tbe  year  worth 
noticing,  they  are  directed  to  include  it  in  the  rejiorT.  The  docu- 
ment should  be  signed  by  both  resident  missionaries  and  one  copy 
ehonld  be  sent  to  the  president,  and  another  retained  for  safe  keep- 
in},'  in  their  archives.  This  document  is  signed  by  Father  Palou  in 
Ihc  MiBsion  of  the  Archangel  St.  Gabriel  on  the  fltb  of  October,  1773. 
On  page  12  we  Bod  the  report  given  In  December  of  tbe  year 
1773,  of  the  spiritual  increase  in  said  Mission  of  8an  tliabriel  since 
it  bad  been  founded  in  September,  1771,  two  years  before.  There 
were  in  that  year  80  rbristians,  .30  adnlts  and  forty-three  children. 
There  was  one  marriage,  and  three  children  had  died.  Then  it  meo»J 
tions  among  the  sacred  vessels,  a  chalice  of  silver,  a  bell  of  silverJ 


KOm   OK  TRB   msSION   SAH   OABBtKL 


188 


a  thimble  of  silver;  alflo  a  flholl  of  tbe  same  material  for  baptismal 
porpopes.  Ave  cliosubleB,  eto.  Tbc  number  of  sacred  pictures  is  also 
given.  Then  the  record  deBcribes  the  firut  church  built  in  what  is 
called  MisBioD  VIeJa — Old  Misaioo — whone  rnina  can  yet  be  aeen  oo 
the  ranch  of  Mr.  Richard  Garvey,  about  a  leaeue  distant  in  a  south- 
erly direction  from  the  present  mission. 

This  primitive  church  waa  45  feet  long  and  18  feet  wide,  built  of 
logs  Riid  covered  with  tiile.  Thera  was  a  sacristy  behind  the  altar. 
Kecond,  a  house  made  also  of  logs,  4fi  feet  long  and  17  feet  wide, 
covered  also  with  tule,  divided  into  two  rooms,  with  doors  of  wood 
separating  them.  Third,  a  storehouse  of  logs,  36  feet  long  by  15 
wide,  covered  also  with  tiite.  Fourth,  another  room.  36  feet  long 
by  18  wide,  to  keep  seed  and  other  things,  made  also  of  logs  and 
covered  with  mud  or  adobe.  Fifth,  another  room  15  feet  square,  of 
Inmber,  and  tho  room  covered  with  clay  or  mud,  waa  used  for  a 
kitthen.  All  these  buildingfl  were  iuclosed  within  a  palisade  RO 
yards  square.  Rcwides  there  were  nine  small  houses  of  lumber, 
with  mud  roof,  for  the  neophj-tes.  The  inclosure  had  two  gates. 
There  was  another  amall  frame  house  in  which  to  keep  the  corn, 
and  two  other  frame  houam  for  the  soldiers.  Besides  there  waa 
another  enclosure  or  corral  for  the  cattle.  Then  follows  a  list  of 
wares  for  the  kitchen,  for  the  carpenter  shop,  and  for  tilling  the 
fields.  They  bogan  with  eighteen  yokes  of  oxen,  plows,  etc.,  etc. 
The  King  gave  18  head  of  cattle;  2  years  after,  in  October,  '73,  these 
had  increased  to  38.  They  also  had  1ft  saddle  horses.  They  sowod 
that  year  one  bushel  and  a  half  of  com,  which  bore  21  bnshela  (or 
fanegaa.) 

On  page  IT  I  And  that  in  the  year  1776  (the  year  thft  United 
Btates  declared  their  independence)  the  mission  was  moved  from 
the  old  place  to  the  location  where  we  now  see  it.  The  change  waa 
made,  says  the  book,  because  the  new  place  waa  better  adapted  for 
a  mission.  The  buildings  could  not,  of  course,  be  moved,  so  they 
bogan  at  once  with  great  «eal  to  erect  the  needed  edifices,  at  the 
new  site.  They  first  built  a  house  of  adobe  50  yards  long  and  8 
yards  wide,  three  and  a  half  yards  high,  divided  into  three  rooms. 
Olio  for  keeping  the  seeds,  another  for  tools  and  the  third  for  the 
leathers  to  dwell  in.  They  built  also  a  chapel  ten  varas  long  by  six 
wide,  roofed  with  tule.  A  corral  was  erected  not  far  away  for  thn 
cattle.  In  1796  the  chapel  gave  way  to  a  larger  church,  with  walls 
of  adobe,  108  feet  long  by  21  feet  wide,  with  a  roof  of  tilm. 


SOME  AFRICAN  FOLK  LORE 


DK.  J.  D.  MOODY. 


I 

* 


Dr.  Stlaa  F.  JoboBon,  a  yoonf;  physician  of  oor  cit7,  has  beoi 
laboring  tor  several  years  aa  a  medical  missionary  in  Wefltem  Af- 
rica. 

Being  now  at  home  on  a  vacation,  I  have  taken  advantae^  of  the 
fact  aud  have  spent  coDsiderable  time  with  him,  gathering  facU 
about  African  folk-lore  and  superetitioDs.  Two  of  these  atories 
which  I  give,  I  believe  have  not  before  been  recorded,  at  least  in 
Halation  to  these  people. 

Dr.  Johnson's  work  has  been  among  the  Bale  tribe,  a  member  of 
tlie  ran  branch  of  the  great  Bantu  family  of  Central  and  South- 
ern Africa. 

Jnst  south  of  the  Sahara  Desert  is  a  wide  strip  of  a  fertile  and 
densely-popnlated  country,  stretching  clear  across  the  continent. 
The  central  and  eastern  portion  of  this  territory  is  called  the  Bon- 
dan.  The  Fan  family  occupy  the  Bouthwestorn  portion  of  this  re- 
gion, and  the  Bale  tribe  the  extreme  western  portion  of  this  part^ 
near  the  coast.  This  lies  within  German  territory.  Ratanga  be 
Ing  the  seaport  for  thia  region.  This  Is  about  the  northern  limit 
of  the  Bantu  rare. 

Whether  there  la  a  migration  now  going  on    towards  the  soath 
from  the  eastom  portion  of  the    country,  I  am    unable  to  say,  but     i 
the  Fan  branch  of  this  family  have  been  pushing  to  the  west  for  a  ■ 
long  time,  the  ontposts  being  occupied  by    the  Bnles,    These    are  ^ 
slowly  but  surely  disposBcsaing  the  coast  people  of  their  ancestral 
homes.    These  people,  the  Bulos,  in    talking    about    the  old  tixsea, 
their    traditiona,    which    are    few    and    recent,    or    about    their 
God,  always  refer  to  the  East.    Some  of  the  old  people  con  remem-     i 
ber  the  last  station  they  occupied  to  the  east  of  their  present  ioca-  ■ 
tion.    Among  all  thia  great  Baatu  family  certain  folk-lore  is  coai  ^ 
mon  property.    Much  of  it  suggests  contact  with  the  witlte  race  in 
the  past,  and  much  of  it  is  of  a  nature  common  to  themselves  and 


4 


dd 


BOMB   AFRICAN    POl.K    LORE 


185 


all  aboriginal  peoples.  Tbe  Bules  have  scarcley  any  history  nr  any 
traditiorB,  but  they  have  an  Interminable  number  of  folklore  ato- 
ne* having  (or  their  central  interest  the  cunning  of  some  animal 
as  displayed  in  its  conteBtH  with  other  animals.  Tbe  tortoise,  tbe  leop- 
ard, tbe  python  and  the  monkey  family  are  almost  excluaivelj  so 
used.  The  tortoise  is  always  the  wise  one.  The  fables  generally 
have  for  their  climax  the  overreaching  cunning  of  this  slow  crea^ 
tar&  Aesop's  fable  of  the  hare  and  tortoise  has  a  singular  interest 
in  tbe  light  of  these  atoriea. 

The  people  delight  in  tliette  »torie».  They  vrK\  gather  about  a 
log  fire  at  night,  or  in  their  palaver  bouse  and  Usleu  for  hours  to 
ibeir  story  teller  going  over  his  narrative.  These  stories  have  zio 
element  of  history  in  them,  but  are  fables  pure  and  simple.  The 
reciter  will  act  out  the  atory  as  he  goes  along  with  appropriate  ges- 
fturea.  When  the  c!imax  is  reached  the  interest  is  gone  and  tbe 
Btory  abruptly  ends. 

A  favorite  story  is  that  of  the  leopard  and  tortoise,  and  rans  In 
this  wise:  Once  upon  u  time  the  leopard  and  the  tortoise,  being  to- 
gether, became  very  hungry.  Tbe  tortoise  said  to  the  leopard,  "let 
US  kill  our  mothers  and  eat  them."  The  leopard  readily  agre^  to 
this,  and  they  further  agreed  to  get  their  mothers  in  the  momJog 
and  kill  them  and  eat  them  for  breakfast.  The  tortoise  that  same 
night  gathered  a  basketful  of  a  fruit  of  that  region  which  contains 
a  bluod-red  juice,  and  took  it  to  a  stream  and  hid  it  among  the 
busbes  OQ  the  banks.  The  next  morning  they  took  their  mothers 
to  this  stream.  The  tortoise  proposed  to  take  his  mother  up  stream 
a  -little  ways,  and  that  tbe  leopard  should  take  his  down  stream  a 
little  ways  and  then  each  kill  tbeir  mother  and  have  a  feast.  They 
each  took  their  Btationf>.  The  tortoise  then  took  a  club  and 
pounded  on  a  log  as  hard  as  be  could,  then  taking  bis  basket  of 
limit,  be  squeezed  tbe  juice  Into  the  water,  which,  running  down 
Btrenm,  looked  like  bloody  water.  The  leopard  in  the  meanwhile 
ivaited  before  killing  his  mother  to  see  whether  the  tortoise  would 
carry  out  his  part  of  the  compact  or  not.  Hearing  the  pounding 
and  seeiog  tbe  bloody  water  floating  by,  he  thought  tbe  tortoise 
was  surely  doing  bis  part,  so  be  took  a  club  and  killed  his 
mother.    The  tortoise  in  the  meanwhile  had  sent  bis  mother  home 


■ISft 


RISTORIOAL   SOCIBTT  OP  BOCTHEBH   CALIPOBNIA 


b.r  a  rotindabOQt  waj,  and  now  went  down  to  the  leopard  and 
helped  him  devour  hSa  mother. 

Id  this  story  the  subterfuges  of  the  tortoise  are  so  traoaparent 
tliat  none  but  the  most  childish  mind  would  find  tuij  interest  in  it, 
and  it  shows  something  of  the  childish  or  child-like  workings  of  the 
savage  mind. 

The  Buie  has  no  conception  of  a  deitj  in  our  sense  of  Ood,  bat 
they  refer  to  a  being  whom  they  call  Zambe,  who  lives  far  back  in 
the  interior.  They  believe  that  Zambe  made  all  tUinf^s,  that  he  has 
all  power,  that  he  is  a  spirit,  and  yet  while  referring  him  to  the  in- 
terior, that  he  has  no  location.  They  do  not  think  that  Zambe  has 
any  supervision  over  their  dahly  lives  here  or  in  the  future  state. 
They  also  believe  him  to  have  two  sons,  who  also  have  all  power, 
one  living  in  the  interior  of  Africa  and  the  other  in  thd  white  man's 
country.  The  African  one  catches  elephants  and  gets  ivory  and 
manufactures  articles  of  commerce  and  trades  them  to  his  brother 
in  the  white  man'a  country;  and  he  in  turn  manufactures  goods 
and  trades  them  to  bis  African  brother.  This  seema  to  be  their 
idea  of  the  origin  of  trade.  They  see  that  articles,  manufactured 
llioy  know  not  how  nor  where,  pans  through  their  lands.  Rome  one 
being  must  have  been  the  guiding  force  in  thmr  making,  and  this 
being  they  call  Zambe.  As  it  is  evident  to  them  that  there  are  two 
distinct  clasHCB  of  goods  made,  they  reason  that  there  must  have 
been  mure  than  one  maker,  so  tbey  take  refuge  in  two  sons  as  the 
respective  makers. 

They  believe  that  there  is  a  town  of  ghosts  down  under  tho 
ground — probably  from  the  fact  of  burial  in  the  ground.  Taey  oe- 
llcve  that  at  death  they  will  go  to  this  town  and  that  they  will  see 
their  fatUera  and  all  their  people  there;  that  they  will  be  living  in 
vi^llages  juei  as  in  this  life,  and  that  the  same  moral  conditions  ex- 
ist there  as  here.  If  a  spirit  does  wrong  there  it  will  be  "caused  to 
die  from  there."  as  they  «i"aliit'y  express  it,  meaning  that  it  will 
l(«ve  this  ghost  town,  and  that  one  of  two  things  will  happen  to  it, 


animal  which  is  a  transformed  spirit,  is  kilted,  it,  too,  goes  to  this 
place  of  extinction. 

Another  fable  gives  their  idea  of  the  origin  of  man's  superiority 
to  the  rest  of  the  animal  creation. 


I 


I 


BOWe  AFRICAN   FOLK   LORIt 


137 


It  in  as  follows:  Zambe  lived  bark  In  the  interior  of  tlie  country. 
One  day  he  called  to  him  man,  dwarf — (The  Bule  consider  the  dwarf 
Tbe  men  will,  however,  occasionally  tuko  a  dwarf  woman  for  a 
wifri— gorilla,  chimpanxee,  and  monkey, 

Zambe  gave  to  each  one  one  of  their  larf^e  Karden  baHkets,  and 
iu  each  baskot  lie  put  Heeds  of  various  kinds  of  vegetables  and  cot- 
lin^  of  food  plants,  nlso  an  ax,  a  cutluss  and  Are,  and  sent  them 
forth  in  the  world  to  start  homes  for  themselves.  On  partinf;  with 
I  hem  he  gave  such  advice  as  a  father  would  to  hia  sons  under  sim- 
ilar circnmstances. 

They  started  out  along  tho  forest  path,  probably  going  towards 
the  coast.  As  they  went  along  tbe  monkey,  becoming  hungry, 
jrlucked  some  berries  or  nnts  from  the  bushes  by  tbe  side  of  tbe 
l>afh.  These  tasted  so  good  to  hini  that  he  dropptwl  hia  basket  with 
ita  contents,  and  wandered  off  into  the  forcat  eating  what  be  could 
And.  The  others  in  the  meantime  went  on  their  way.  Soon  the 
cbimpaiiEee  became  hungry.  Gathering  some  nnts  and  eating  them, 
he  was  so  well  satisfied  that  he  too  dropped  his  ttasket  and  went  off 
into  the  forest,  while  the  others  went  on.  Tbe  gorilla  was  the 
next  to  become  hungry,  and.  seeing  some  fruit  growing  on  the  trees 
near  by,  plucked  and  ate  it.  He  too  seemed  satisfied  with  this  food, 
and,  dropplug  his  basket,  wandered  off  into  the  forest. 

The  dwarf  saw  some  bees  going  into  a  hole  in  a  tree.  He  climbed 
the  tree,  got  the  honey  and  ate  it.  The  taste  of  it  pleased  him  bo 
wel*  that,  looking  around  and  seeing  a  snail  on  a  tree,  knocked  it 
off  and  ate  it  also. 

(There  Is  a  species  of  land  snail  in  that  country,  ns  large  as  a 
Kmalt  plate,  whioli.  instead  of  living  in  its  shell,  carries  a  small 
conical  Bpii-al  shell  on  its  back.  These  snails  attach  thomselvas  to 
trees  and  the  natives  knoi'!k  them  oCC  and  eat  them.  They  make  im- 
))lemeutB  out  of  the  shells.) 

Hb  was  so  pleased  with  these  foods  that  be  stopped  by  tbe  side 
of  (be  path,  took  the  coals  of  Ore  out  of  his  basket  and  kindled  a 
tire.  Then  holding  the  shell  in  (be  Qre  the  Uesb  was  easily  detached. 
He  tben  rolled  it  up  tightly  in  a  !eaf,  and  after  roasting  it  in  the 
tire,  ate  it.  He  thought  the  snail  and  the  honey  good  enough  for 
him,  BO  he  left  tbe  basket,  ax,  cutlass  and  seeds,  only  taking  the  fire 
and  went  ofT  into  the  forest. 


188 


HIBTOBICAI.   SOdn-Y   OP   SODTHERN   CALITOfUflA 


Only  man  wan  left.  Coming  to  n  pretty  stream  where  the 
voil  looke<i  good,  he  htiiU  n  nbaltt^r,  began  to  clear  the  forest,  burn- 
ing the  bmsh  when  driM,  iind  planted  the  eeeds.  ^Vbile  the  crops 
were  growing  he  got  some  bark  and  built  bimseif  a  bnt. 

After  a  time  7<ambe  otartcd  oat  to  took  after  these  children  of  bis 
and  to  see  bow  they  wore  getting  along.  He  found  the  baskets  one 
after  another  jnnt  when-  they  had  boen  dropped.  He  bewailed  the 
toVly  of  thofle  he  bad  sent  out,  saying  they  wore  not  of  bia  children. 
He  went  nntil  he  came  to  man's  village.  He  was  greatly  pleased 
thereat,  and  said:  "Yes,  this  man  is  my  child,"  and  ever  since  man 
has  been  Zambe'a  child. 

Dr.  Juhnfion  was  showing  how  to  make  a  "cat's  cradle**  with  a 
string  when  one  of  the  boys  took  It  and  made  a  great  many  different 
kinds,  such  as  the  doctor  had  never  seen. 

Alfred  Wallace  makes  a  similar  statement  in  regard  to  the  chil- 
dren in  Borneo. 

The  natives  have  a  singular  game  played  with  tops.  They  cut  off 
the  end  of  the  snail  shell,  spoken  of  befom,  making  it  at>out  an  inch 
and  a  half  long.  One  man  will  lay  his  top  on  the  hard-beaten 
ground;  another  man  will  take  his  station  a  few  feet  away,  and, 
holding  bis  top  with  the  fingers,  with  the  point  in  the  hollow  of  tiie 
hand,  then  giving  a  throwing  motion  of  the  arm,  together  with  a 
peculiar  twist  of  the  fingers,  he  sends  it  spinning  along  the  ground 
like  a  top  towards  the  other  one,  which,  if  it  touches,  he  claims  as 
his  own,  I 

The  rainbow  by  them  is  regarded  as  a  huge  python;  when  one  ap- 
I)eara  they  at  once  b^in  to  attack  it  with  guns  and  bows. 


CAPITAN  AND  TIN  TIN 
BY  LAURA  EVERTSEN  KING. 
(Read  April  7,  1S98.) 

In  (he  words  of  I'olouius,  "Htill  harping  on  my  daagbter,''  j'ou 
will  perliapB  say,  but  the  subject  ot  the  MiRsion  ludionti  has  always 
been  an  intert;HtiDg  voe  lu  me.  Taught  id  my  early  youth  to  secii. 
that  which  was  best  in  human  nature,  I  naturally  aaw  only  the  good 
in  the  Indian.  In  disitOHitlon  like  a  child,  easily  led,  but  stubborn  i( 
driven,  he  could  be  managed  by  thoae  who  were  kind  to  Iiini  without 
difficulty.  Alvaya  looking  with  rovereuoe  upon  IboHe  whom  he  con- 
sidered his  superiors,  I  was  free  to  go  and  come  nmonR  them  in  per- 
fect safety,  not  safely  from  bodily  harm,  but  immunity  from  coarse- 
ne«M  or  vulgarity.  And  "hoBh!  there  comes  Tjalita,**  was  the  pasa- 
word.  In  the  early  fifties,  the  main  street  or  roadway  of  the  Mission 
Ban  Gabriel  ran  about  a  mile  and  three-quarters  from  the  church  in 
shape  like  a  reclining  letter  L,  the  lines  of  the  long  shank  of  the  let- 
ter-shapod  street  vanishing  amou^  the  live-oak  trees  to  the  north  of 
the  Mission.  On  one  side  and  between  rows  of  willows,  ran  the 
Kanja  which  watered  the  "milpas"  of  the  Indiana.  And  on  either 
side  of  the  street  wero  the  ''jocals"  or  huts  built  of  adobe  iind 
thatc  hcd  with  tule,  which  was  cut  in  the  lake  near  Pasadena,  tied 
in  bundles,  dried  in  the  snn,  and  bonnd  on  the  roofs  with  thonga  of 
the  same,  making  a  picturesquo  and  weather-proof  covering.  There 
dwelt  the  remnant  of  the  Miasion  Indinas.  Tliey  planted  com,  beaus, 
pumpkins,  peas  and  chiles,  and  flowers  of  the  brighteat  buca  nodded 
to  their  relloL'tions  in  the  rippling  zanja. 

I  passed  every  morning  and  evening  along  this  road  to  school,  and 
was  always  greeted  with  a  "boenos  diaa  Ijititn"  from  such  as  were 
sitting  sunning  themselres  ontside  their  doors.  Quiet  and  gewitle  old 
Capitan  and  hia  wife  raised  mocking  birds  for  market.  In  the  spaces 
between  the  walls  and  thatched  roof  of  bia  house  the  birds  built 
their  nests,  and  at  the  proper  age  for  selling  he  carefully  packed 
his  young  birds  in  an  old  tin  pail  some  one  had  given  htm,  and 
walked  to  Los  Angeles,  carrying  his  pail  on  his  arm.  Or  If  from 
necessity  he  Bometimes  sacrificed  an  old  bird  it  roflo  to  the  dignity 
of  a  cage  made  of  reeda  or  cana    Old  Capitan  was  very  reliable  in 


140 


niSrORICAL  flOCtSTY  OP  muTBERM  caufobma 


bin  dealings  with  castoiuen,  and  one  could  always  be  aure  that  bis 
bird  was  a  aioger;  there  being  but  a  very  sUglit  difTerence  in  the 
foathws  of  the  wings,  it  was  an  easy  matter  to  pass  upon  a  novice 
a  femaJe  bird.  The  fomalea  do  not  eing.  His  birds  were  hia  pctfl^ 
and  ate  from  bis  hands  and  sat  upon  hia  shouldpra.  The^  also  came 
at  bis  call.  I  reinenibtT  distinctljr,  my  mothLT  had  bought  a  bird 
from  him.  and,  (leaping  from  tta  rage,  it  flew  to  the  topmost  bough 
of  nn  oIItp  trpf".  TIip  bird  wa«  given  up  a»  lost,  until  some  one  sng 
gentcd  sending  for  old  Cnpttan.  Uo  came  with  an  old  cage,  and, 
Betting  it  npon  the  ground  near  by,  gave  a  pecnliar  cry,  which  the 
bird  answered,  and  to  the  astonishment  of  all.  flow  down  from  hi« 
perch  and  quietly  entered  the  cage.  Then  he  banded  th«  bird  to  his 
Diistreaa  and  retomed  home,  not  expecting  any  more  reward  than  to 
have  shown  his  intluftnro  over  his  pets. 

Then  there  was  "TiD-Tin."  Poor  '"Kn-Tin."  whose  worst  faalt  w»« 
his  love  of  "Agua  Ardient©."  But  then,  the  Americans  were  the 
caose  of  hia  downfall,  which  occurred  every  8aturday  night.  All 
tbe  wtvek  he  labored  faithfully  and  coDscientiously.  but  on  Sunday 
morning  he  would  be  seen  by  those  on  their  way  to  the  church  with 
his  head  in  the  ditch,  dragged  there  by  some  friend,  to  cool  hint  off 
for  Monday's  work.  He  was  a  flne  specimen  of  the  Indian,  aa  be 
was,  and  should  be  but  for  the  civil  I  zai  ion  of  the  white  man;  being  tall 
and  straight,  and  well  bultt.  But  what  constitution  could  stand 
"fire  water"  and  exposnre  week  after  week?  In  his  prime  he  was 
taken  to  the  ditch  for  the  last  time  a  victim  of  bis  appetite,  tad  the 
greed  of  thu  white  man. 

I  must  not  forget  the  church  choir,  which  made  the  round  of  ev- 
ery house  on  t^uuday  after  services.  It  was  composed  of  four  mu- 
sical instruments,  Ilulc,  violin,  fsome  were  rude  fmouph  to  call  it  a 
iiddle.)  triangle  and  drum.  The  principal  object  of  the  choir  was 
the  colli'cliou  of  tithes,  which  everyone  was  very  willing  to  pay 
after  liatt^iing  to  the  music  for  an  hour.  The  poet  sang  "Music 
hath  charms  to  sooth  the  savage  breast."  It  may  have  been  tliat 
looking  upon  us  aa  '-aliens."  they  wished  to  impress  us  with  the 
force  of  the  quotation.  The  music  was  wild  and  weird,  and  helped 
to  pass  an  otherwise  long  and  lonely  Sunday  afternoon.  J  think 
that  we  all  felt  sad  to  see  the  "church  choir'*  gradually  transferred 
from  this  to  the  "choir  invisible.*'  And  let  ua  hope  ihat  In  their 
*'lmppy  hunting  grounds"  they  have  exchanged  the  fiddle  for  the 
bow,  and  in  exchanging  Iheir  triangle  have  received  the  "horn  of 
plMty,"  and  all  is  on  the  "square." 


I 


I 


OLD  FORT  MOORE 

BY  J.  U.  aUINN. 

(Part  of  an  address  delivered  Julj  4,  1897,  at  the  «emj- 

ceDte-noEal  of  the  first  Fourth  of  Jut;  celebration 

ia  California.) 

Tt  is  an  hiHtorical  fact,  but  one  that  seems  to  be  unknown  to  writ- 
ers of  California  bistor^',  that  there  were  two  forts  planned  and 
partially  built  upon  Fort  Hill,  in  Los  Anc;eles,  during  the  war  for 
the  conquest  of  California.  The  first  was  planned  by  Lieut.  Wil- 
liam H.  Emory,  topof(raphical  engineer  of  Oen.  Kearney's  staff,  and 
work  began  upon  it  by  Commodore  tftoekton's  sailors  and  niarinei). 
The  second  was  planned  by  Lieut.  .1.  \V.  Davidson  of  the  First 
I'nited  Htatrs  Dragoons,  and  was  built  by  the  Mormon  Battalion. 
The  first  was  not  completed  and  was  not  named.  The  second  was 
named  Fort  Moore.  Tboir  location  HeemB  to  have  been  identical. 
The  first  was  designed  lo  bold  100  men,  the  second  was  much  larger. 
A  brief  review  of  some  of  the  events  preceding  th«  building  of  the 
fort  will  not  be  out  of  place. 

After  the  defeat  of  (ho  Culiforuians  under  Gens.  Flores  and  An- 
dres I'ico  at  the  battles  of  Paso  de  Bartolu  and  Ia  Mesa,  on  the  8th 
and  9lb  of  .Tanuory,  1S47,  the  .Vraerican  forces  onder  Stockton  and 
Kearnoy  marched  into  the  city  and  took  possession  of  ft. 

Lieut.  Emory  says:  "Not  altogether  trusting  to  the  honesty  of 
Oen.  Flores,  who  had  once  before  broken  his  parole,  we  movf-d  into 
town  in  tine  of  battle-  (The  city,  under  flag  of  truce,  bad  been  snr- 
rendered  by  a  committee  of  citixens  to  Commodore  Stockton.)  It 
was  a  wise  precaution,  for  the  streets  were  full  of  drnnken  follows, 
who  brandished  their  arms  and  saluted  us  with  every  term  of  re> 
proach.  The  crest  of  the  bill  overlooking  the  town,  in  rifle  range, 
was  covered  with  horsemen  engaged  in  the  same  hospitable  man- 
ner. Our  men  marched  steadily  on  until  crossing  the  ravine  leading 
into  the  public  square  (the  plaza)  when  a  fight  took  place  among 
the  Californians  on  the  hill.  One  became  disarmed  and,  to  avoid 
death,  rolled  down  the  hill  toward  us,  bis  adversary  pursuing  and 
lancing  bim  in  the  most  coldblooded  manner.    The  man  tumbling 


HIBTDRIOAL   BOCm'T  OV  80UTBCRN   CALIFORNIA. 


down  the  hill  was  siipposnl  to  be  one  of  our  vaqueros,  i^nd  the  cr/ 
wiiB  rnitied  'rescue  him!'  The  crew  of  the  Cyane,  nearest  the  eceoe, 
at  once  and  witUuiit  urdern  hatted  and  ifave  the  man  (bat  was  lan- 
cing him  a  volley.  Btrange  to  my,  be  did  not  fall."  The  commodoro 
gave  tho  jacl:  tarn  a  riintinf*.  not  bo  much  for  firing  without  orders 
an  for  their  Iwid  marksmanship. 

Rhortlj  after  the  above  episode  the  CaliforoiaoK  did  open  fire  front  J 
the  hill  on  the  vaqueros  in  charge  of  the  cattle.      (These  Tat|uerc»| 
were  Califomiane  in  the  employ-  of    the  Americans,    aud  were  re-' 
garded  hy  their  countrymen  as  traitors.)    A  company  of  ritlemen 
was  ordered  to  clear  the  hill.    A  single  volley  effected  this,  killing 
two  of  the  enemy.    This  was  the  last  blood  glied  in  the  war;  and  the 
second  conquest  of  California  was  completed  as  the  flHt  had  been, 
by  the  caplui-e  of  Los  Anpelen.    Two  hundred  men  with  two  pieces 
of  artillery  were  stationed  on  the  hill. 

The  AngelenoH  dirt  not  oTnctly  welcome  the  invaders  with  ''bloody 
tiandH  to  inhospitable  graves,"  bnt  they  did  their  hinit  to  lot  them 
know  they  were  not  wantfd.  The  better  olnaa  of  tho  native  inhab- 
itants clos<!d  their  houses  and  took  refuge  with  foreign  residents  or 
went  to  the  ranrhos  of  their  frieoids  in  the  country.  The  fellow^s  of 
the  baser  sort  who  were  in  the  possession  of  the  city  exhausted  their 
vocabularies  of  abuse  on  the  invading  pringos. 

There  was  one  pnisnno  who  excelled  all  his  countrymen  in  this 
species  of  warfare.  It  is  a  pity  his  name  has  not  been  preserved  in 
history  with  that  of  other  famous  scolds  and  kickers.  Ue  rode  by 
the  side  of  the  adrajicing  column  up  Main  street  firing  volleys  of  in- 
veetivo  and  dennnciation  nt  the  hated  gringos.  At  cenntn  points 
In  his  tirade  he  worked  himsrif  up  to  such  a  pitch  of  indignation 
that  language  failed  him.  then  he  would  solemnly  go  through  tha 
motions  of  "make  ready;  take  nim,"  with  an  old  shotgun  ht;  earned, 
bnt  when  it  came  to  the  order  '"fire!"  discretion  got  the  bettor  of  his 
valor;  he  lowered  his  gun  and  began  ngnin  tiring  inv«ctive  at  the 
gringo  soldiers;  his  mouth  would  go  off  if  his  gnn  would  not. 

Commodore  Stockton's  hendquartitrs  were  in  the  Abila  House, 
the  second  boose  on  Oraeia  street,  north  of  the  Plaza.  The  building 
is  still  standing,  but  has  undergone  many  changes  in  fifty  years. 

An  arousing  account  was  recently  given  me  by  an  old  pioneer  of 
how  Commodore  Stockton  got  possession  of  the  house.    The  widow 


OLD   FORT   MOORE 


148 


Abila  and  her  daughters,  at  the  approach  of  Ihe  Americans,  bad 
abandoned  their  home  and  takon  refuge  with  Don  Luta  Vigiiea  of  the 
Aliso.  Vigues  was  a  Freuchman  and  friendly  to  both  sides.  The 
widow  had  left  a  youug  Califoroiou  in  nbarge  of  her  house,  which 
was  finely  furnished,  with  strict  orders  to  keep  it  closed.  Btocktoo 
had  with  him  a  flnu  brass  band,  probably  the  t>est  ever  heard  in  Cali- 
fornia. When  the  troops  halted  on  the  Plaza  the  band  began  to 
ploy.  The  boyish  guardian  of  the  Abila  Casa  could  not  resist  the 
temptation  to  open  the  door  and  look  out.  The  strains  of  music  drew 
him  to  the  Plaza.  Stocklon  and  his  stalT,  passing  by,  found  the  door 
invitingly  open,  entered  and  took  posHession.  The  recreant  watch- 
man returned  when  the  band  ceased  to  play  to  find  himself  dispos- 
i^essed  and  the  house  in  the  hands  of  the  enemy. 

Flores'  army  waa  supposed  to  be  hovering  around  the  city,  and 
Btockton  determined  to  fortify.    On  January  11,  Lieut.  Emory  says: 
"T  was  ordered  to  select  a  site  and  place  a  fort  capable  of  contain- 
ing a  hundred  men.     With  this  in  view,  a  rapid  reconooisaance  of 
the  town  was  made,  and  the  plan  of  a  fort  sketched;  so  placed  as  to 
enable  a  small  garrison  to  command  the  town  and  the  principal  ave- 
nues to  it.    The  plan  was  approved.   Jnauary  12,  I  laid  off  the  work, 
and  before  night  broke  ground."    The  sailors  and  marines  were  de- 
tailed by  companies  to  work  on  the  fort,  "which  work,*'  the  lieuten- 
ant says,  "they  performed  bravely  and  gave  me  great  hopes  of  suc- 
cesa."    On  the  i4th.  Fremont  with  his  battalion  arrived  from  Ca- 
hnenga.    There  were  then  about  one  thousand  troops  in  the  city,  and 
the  old  eiudad  put  on  military  aire.    On  the  18th,  Kearney,  having 
qnarrelcd  with  Stockton  aboot  who  shonld  be  Governor  of  the  con- 
quered territory,  left  for  San  Diego,  taking  with  him  Lieut.  Emory 
and  other  members  of  his  staff.    Emory  was    sent  East  by  way  of 
Panama,  with  dispatches.     Stockton  appointed  Ccl.  Frtimont  Gov- 
ernor, and  Col.  Ruasel  of  the  battalion,  Secretary  of    State  of  the 
Dewly-acquired  territory,  and  then  took  his  departnre  for  San  Diego, 
where  his  ship,  the  Congress,  was  lying.    The  sailors  and  marlnea, 
on  the  2(»th,  took  up  their  line  of  march  to  San  Pedro  to  rejoin  their 
ships,  and  work  on  the  fort  was  abandoned.    Lieut.  Emory,  in  a  foot* 
note  to  his  pnblisbed  diary,  snya  "Subsequently  to  my  leaving    the 
Ciudad  de  Ix>9  Angeles,  the  entire  plan  of  the  fort  was  changed,  and 
I  am  not  the  projector  of  the  work  Bnally  adopted  for  defense    of 
that  town." 


m 


atnoRicAL  sodvry  o*  •outbsbn  califqrnia 


Fteouml'B  battalion  wan  left  in  ebort^  of  tiie  city.  The  Qoveraor 
bad  MtabliHbMl  his  headquarters  id  the  B«ll  Block,  corner  of  Aliito 
and  LoH  An^elea  8tr««ts,  that  being  the  finest  boilding  in  the  city. 
jTist  before  tEe  arrival  of  Col.  Cooke's  Mormon  Battalion,  Oapt 
Owens,  in  rommand  of  Fremont's  battalion,  moved  it  with  ten  piece* 
of  artinery  to  the  Kisaion  Sou  Qabricl.  Co).  Cooke  was  an  adherent 
of  Oen.  Kearney's,  and  Owens  was  a  friend  of  Fremont.  The  re 
mtjVRl  was  made  probably  to  avoid  unpleasantness  between  the  two 
commanding  officers. 

Thf  <]narrel  for  superiority  between  Stockton,  Kearney,  Fremont 

id  Mason  continued,  and  waied  hotter.  Kearney  had  removed  to 
lonterey,  and  Col.  Cooke  with  his  Mormon  Xlattalion  had  arrived 
and  been  stationed  at  San  Luis  Rey.  On  March  12,  Col.  Cooke  thus 
defines  the  situation:  "Gem.  Kearney  is  supreme  somewhere  up  the 
coast;  Col.  Fremont  is  supreme  nt  Los  Angeles;  Commodore  Sha- 
brick,  the  same  at  Monterey,  and  I  at  Han  Luis  Key;  and  we  are  all 
supremely  poor,  tha  government  haviug  no  money  and  no  credit, 
and  we  hold  the  territory  because  Mexico  is  the  poorest  of  all." 

On  March  23  the  Mormon  Imttnlion  arrived  in  Ix>b  Angeles.  Fre- 
mont's battalion  was  mustered  out,  mnd  the  artillery  removed  to  Los 
Angeles.  Fi-emout  HhoHly  afterward  left  for  Monterey  to  report  to 
Kearney,  who  had  etttablihhed  his  claim  to  the  Governorship,  and 
then  returned  to  St.  l<ouis.  Col.  P.  St.  George  Cooke  was  in  com- 
mand of  the  Bouthem  military  district.  On  the  20th  of  April  rumora 
reached  the  city  that  the  Mexican  general,  ttnstamptite,  was  ad- 
vancing on  California  with  a  force  of  1500  men. 

"Positive  information."  writes  Col.  Cooke,  "was  roreived  that  the 
Mexican  government  had  appropriated  ffiOO.OOO  toward  fitting  out 
this  force."  It  was  also  reported  that  cannon  and  military  storea 
had  been  landed  at  San  Vicente,  in  Lower  CalifomiQ,  just  below  the 
lino,  and  that  the  Californians  were  preparing  for  an  insurrection. 
Precautions  were  taken  against  a  sorprise.  A  troop  of  dragoons 
was  sent  to  Warner's  Ranrho  to  patrol  the  Ronora  road  as  far  us 
the  desert.  "The  construction  of  a  fort  on  the  hill  fully  command- 
ing the  town,  which  had  been  previously  determined  upon,  waa  be- 
gnn,  and  a  company  of  infantry  was  posted  on  the  hill.'' 

On  the  23rd  of  April,  three  months  after  work  had  ceased  on  Km- 
cry's  fort,  the  construction  of  the  second  fort  was  begun,  and  pushed 


n 


i 

I 

I 

■ 


OLD  70BT  HOORE 


141 


vigoronelj.  Bnmorg  came  thick  and  fast  of  tfae  approach  of  the  en- 
emy. On  May  3,  Col.  Cooke  writes:  "A  report  was  received  throof^h 
the  most  available  sources  of  information,  that  Oen.  Uustaiueiite 
had  crossed  the  golf  near  the  head  in  boats  of  the  pearl  fishers,  and 
at  last  ioformatioD  was  at  a  rancho  on  the  western  road,  70  leagues 
below  Ban  DieKo."  Col.  Stevenson's  regiment  of  New  York  Volun- 
teers bad  arrived  in  California  and  two  companies  of  it  bad  U«n 
sent  lo  Los  Angeles.  The  report  that  Col.  Cooke  bad  received  rein- 
forcement and  that  the  place  was  fortified  was  suppoHed  to  have 
friKbteued  Bustamente  and  bis  invading  army  into  abandoning  tbe 
recapture  of  Los  Angeles. 

On  Ma;  13,  Co).  Cooke  was  superseded  bj  Col.  J.  B.  SteveDuon,  io 
command  of  the  southern  military  district.  Work  still  eontinued 
on  tbe  fort.  As  work  on  it  approached  completion,  Col.  Sti'vunson 
was  exercised  about  a  suituble  flag  staff  for  bis  Qeld  works.  Oe 
wanted  one  at  least  ISO  feet  high.  There  waa  no  tall  timber  in  the 
vicinity  of  Los  Angeles.  A  contract  was  let  to  a  native  of  Califor- 
nia, Juan  Bamirez,  to  bring  timber  from  the  Ban  Uf^rnardiuo  Mouu- 
tains  of  a  suitable  length  to  mako  a  Sag  pole.  Juan  Knmire^  witb 
a  number  of  carretas.  a  small  army  of  Indian  laborers  laul  uii  et>corc 
of  ten  Mormon  soldiers  to  protect  bim  aguiust  tiie  mountain  Indiana, 
repaired  to  the  headwaters  of  Mill  Creek  in  the  mountains,  wbrtre  he 
found  suitable  timber.  He  brought  down  two  tree  triinton,  one 
about  ninety  feet  and  the  other  seventy-five  to  eighty  feet  long,  fast- 
ened on  the  axles  of  a  dozen  old  carretas,  each  trunk  drawn  by 
twenty  yoke  of  oxen  and  nn  Indian  driver  to  each  ox.  The  carpen- 
tors  among  the  volunteers  nplired  Ihe  timbers  and  faahioued  a  b«fau- 
tifol  pole  150  feet  long,  which  was  raised  in  the  rear  of  be  field 
work,  near  what  is  now  the  southeast  comer  of  North  JJroad-vny  and 
Rock  street,  or  Fort  Moore  Place. 

By  the  Ist  of  July  work  bad  so  fur  progresawl  ou  the  fort  that  Col. 
Ktevcnson  decided  to  dedicate  and  name  It  on  the  Fourth.  He  issued 
an  official  order  for  the  celebration  of  the  anniversary  of  thB  birth- 
day of  American  independence  at  this  post,  as  be  called  Los  Angeles. 

The  following  is  a  s^^-nopsis  of  the  order: 

''At  sunriso  a  Federal  salute  will  be  fired  from  the  field  work  on 
tbe  bill  which  commanda  this  town,  and  for  the  Qrst  time  from  this 
point  the  American  standard  is  displayed. 

"At  IQ  o'clock  every  soldier  at  this  post  will  be  under  arma.    Tbe 


Binoicu.  lociarT  or  ■ootmm  calooueu 


dft&chmeDt  of  the  Set-entfa  RecimBiit  7«.  Y.  Volunteers,  and  First 
Be^ment,  U.  S.  l^ragoone  idiamonDted,)  will  be  marche^l  to  tbe  fl^d 
work  on  the  hill,  when,  togetber  with  tbe  Mormon  Battalion,  tbe 
«bot«  will  be  rormed  at  11  o'clock  ajn.  into  a  bollov  aqaare.  whfo 
tbe  Declaration  of  IndepcDdeoce  will  be  read.  At  the  doM  of  this 
crremonjr  the  field  works  will  be  dedicated  and  appropriately  named. 

and  at  12  o'clock  a  natiooal  aalule  will  be  ftred. 

"Tbe  field  work  at  Ibta  post  having  been  planned  and  tbe  vorfc 
condacted  enlirvlj  bjr  Lieut.  Da\idM)n  of  the  First  Dragoons,  be  u 
reqaected  to  hoist  npoD  it  for  tbe  first  time,  on  tbe  morning  of  the 
4tb,  tbe  American  standard. 

"It  is  the  costum  of  onr  i-oonlr.v  to  confer  on  its  fortiQcations  tbe 
name  of  si>me  distia^uisbed  IndiTidual  who  baa  tendered  importaot 
aiTTioea  to  bis  countrr,  either  in  tbe  councils  of  the  nation  or  on  the 
iMttlefleld.  Tbe  commandant  has  therefore  determtned.  anlees  the 
i>epartment  of  War  shall  otherwise  direct,  to  confer  upon  tbe  field 
work  erected  at  tbe  jHist  of  Los  Angeles  the  name  of  one  who  was 
regarded  br  all  who  had  the  pleasnm  of  his  acquaintance  as  a  per- 
fect specimen  of  an  American  officer,  and  whoae  charmcter.  for  ererj 
rirtne  and  accomplishment  that  adorns  a  gentleman,  was  onlj 
eqnalad  by  the  reputation  bi-  had  acquired  in  Ibe  lield  for  bis  gal- 
lantrj  as  an  officer  and  so)dt>-r,  and  his  life  woa  sarrificed  in  tbe 
conquest  of  this  territory  at  tbe  battle  of  San  Poaqnal.  The  com- 
mander directs  that  from  and  after  the  4th  inat.  it  shall  twar  the 
name  of  Moore.*' 

(It  was  named  after  Capt.  Benjamin  D.  Moore  of  the  FHrat  United 
Btat<«  Elragoons.) 

The  fort  was  never  entirely  completed.  On  the  15th  of  -loly  the 
Mormon  Battalion  was  mustered  out  of  service  and  work  on  the  fort 
ceased. 

It  was  located  along  what  is  now  tbe  easterly  line  of  North 
Broadway  at  its  inter»ection  of  Rock  street,  directly  in  front  of  the 
nigh  School  building.  It  extended  Rontherly  from  near  the  north- 
erly Jine  of  Dr.  Wills's  lot  across  Rock  street  to  about  !ho  middle  of 
tbe  fourth  lot  K'tuth  of  Rock  street— or  Fort  Moore  Tlace— n  distance 
of  nearly  four  hundred  foet. 

It  was  not  inclosed  in  the  rear.  It  was  a  strong  jHtailion.  and  two 
hundred  men  (about  itt«  capacity!  could  have  held  it  against  a  thoa* 
sand  if  attacked  from  tbe  front,  but  its  defenders  could  easily  hare 
been  uutflanked.  In  the  rear  of  the  fortifications  was  a  deep  ravine 
extending  frotn  the  cemetery  diagonally  down  across  North  Uill 
street,  and  the  block  between  Iltll  street  and  Fort  street,  or  Broad- 


i 


I 


OLD   PORT   UOORB 


147 


way,  BBd  crossiDg  Temple  street  at  New  Uigb  street,  it  came  out  on 
Pliring  street  south  of  the  Allen  Block.  For  mauy  years  ILl*  only 
road  to  the  old  cemeterj  led  up  the  bottom  o(  this  raviue.  Maoy 
au  old-timer  has  becQ  carried  to  bis  last  resting  place  up  the  ceme- 
terv  ravine.  It  was  called  the  Tuiluda  de  Loa  Mnertos — Ibe  Caiion 
of  the  Dead.  During  the  weupation  of  Los  Angeles  by  the  United 
States  troops  in  1817.  there  were  frequent  rumors  of  impending  in- 
surrections. One  of  these  was  tho  indirert  ranse  of  a  serious  catas- 
trophe and  loss  of  life.  Ou  the  nftemoon  of  December  7.  1S47,  an 
old  lady  called  upon  Col.  Stevenson  and  informed  him  that  a  large 
body  of  Californiiins  bad  secretly  or^^nnizt^  and  fixed  upon  that 
nipht  for  a  general  uprising  to  capture  the  city  and  massacre  the 
garrison.  The  information  was  supposed  to  be  reliable.  Pi-ecau- 
tions  were  taken  against  a  surprise.  Tho  guard  was  doubled  and  a 
strong  resen-e  stationed  at  the  gaardhoose.  which  stood  on  the  bill- 
Bide  in  the  rear  of  the  St.  KImo.  about  where  Beaudry'a  stone  wall  is 
now.  A  piece  of  artillery  was  kept  at  the  guardbouee.  About  mid- 
night one  of  the  outpost  pirkfts  saw,  or  thought  he  saw.  a  horse- 
man approaching  him.  He  challenged,  but  receiving  no  reply,  fired. 
The  guai-d  at  the  caurtel  formed  to  repel  an  attack.  Inrestigation 
proved  the  picket's  horseman  to  be  a  cow.  The  guard  was  ordered 
to  break  ranks.  One  of  the  cannoneers  bad  lighted  a  port  fire  (a  sort 
of  fuse  formerly  used  for  firing  cannon.)  He  was  ordered  to  eztin- 
gnish  it  and  return  it  to  the  armchest.  He  stamped  out  the  fire  and 
threw  the  fuse  into  the  client  filled  with  ammuDition.  A  spark  re- 
kindled and  a  terrific  explosion  followed  that  shook  the  city  like  an 
earthquake.  The  goardhoiise  was  blown  to  pieces  and  the  roof 
timbers  thrown  into  Main  street.  The  wildest  confusion  reigned. 
The  long  roll  sounded  and  the  troops  fiew  to  arms.  Poor  men  were 
killed  by  the  explosion  and  ten  or  twelve  wounded,  aareral  quite  se- 
riously. 

After  peace  was  declared  In  IR4ft,  the  old  fort  was  abandoned  and 
it  fell  to  mins.  The  Historical  Society  some  fourteen  years  ago, 
when  the  land  beloaged  to  the  city,  made  an  effort  to  secure  its  site 
for  a  liistorical  building  aud  museum.  Although  the  laud  had  but 
little  value  then,  the  Mayor  and  City  Council  were  too  shortsighted 
to  grant  the  society's  request.  The  site  was  sold  for  a  few  huiidn-d 
dollnrs,  aud  the  old  fort  became  one  of  our  lost  landmarks. 

The  regular  army  officers  stationed  here  fifty  years  ago  all  at- 
tained high  rank  in  the  civil  war.  Lieut.  C^l.  Cooke  and  IJeuta.  A. 
J.  Smith,  Sionenian,  Emory  and  Davidson  were  made  niajorgener- 
als.  Lieut.  Davidson's  original  plan  contemplated  the  erection  of 
another  fort  on  the  south  side  of  the  hill  now  known  ns  Mt.  l^ookout, 
and  also  the  cutting  away  of  a  jutting  point  of  Fort  Hill  that  inter- 
fered with  the  range  of  his  guns,  but  these  projects  were  abandoned. 


PIONEER  SCHOOLS  AND  THEIR  TEACHERS 

BY  LAURA  E^'ERT8EK  KING. 

OdIj  pioneen  or  children  of  pioneer*  can  nnderstjuid  the  difficul- 
ties of  obuioiBg  an  edaratioii  id  the  early  days  of  anv  State,  partie- 
olarij  Califomta;  stranded  thousands  of  mflcs  from  eivilisatioa 
iipon  an  almoHt  unknown  ahora,  surrounded  hy  dangera,  forpoiten 
bj  friends  and  u*^gleoi«l  by  relatiTcs:  with  no  hope  of  returning 
borne,  for  the  thoaglit  of  facing  the  dangvra  and  hardships  of  i^roes- 
isg  the  plains  a  second  time  would  have  appalled  the  strongest 
h«^rT.  But  tbere  are  compensating  phases  In  the  lives  of  evt»-y  one. 
and  the  proa}H«rt  of  a  srJiool  for  their  children  was  compensation  for 
(he  difficulties  overcome  in  obtaining  teachers  suitable  for  tbe  posi- 
tion. AtD'JD)!  thi*  maay  who  came  to  the  Golden  State  in  its  early 
days  were  ueu  and  womein  of  eilucutinu.  but,  like  angels*  visits,  scat- 
tered few  and  far  tietwe«^u.  To  find  them  was  no  easy  taslL,  as  vome 
did  not  possess  every  virttie,  and  few  were— like  Cheratin  Bayard — 
without  fear  and  wlthont  reproach. 

The  flmt  whft*»lhou«e  of  Ran  Gabriel  was  built  of  wild  mustard 
statkH.  under  the  nprendlng  boughs  of  an  oak.  As  three  montbs  was 
tbe  longest  term,  and  that  in  the  summer,  mustard  walls  were  con- 
sidered sufficient,  being  cool  and  airy,  the  children  were  not  <^ 
pressed  by  tbe  heat  nor  io  want  of  ventilation.  The  Board  of  Tmfr 
rem  was  composed  of  William  K.  Stockton.  Asa  Lane,  C  C.  Twitcbel 
and  J.  8.  Waite.  Some  of  the  trUBteoa  being  teachers,  they  served 
in  both  capacities.  The  position  of  teacher  was  mora  difficult  than 
that  of  a  general.  As  the  parents  of  unruly  children  were  in  the  ma- 
jority, the  puuisbmcut  of  u  child  directed  tbe  wrath  of  the  parents 
to  the  boaixl,  and  charges  of  ignorance  in  putting  such  a  man  in  of- 
fice generally  resulted  in  a  dismissal  of  tbe  teacher  on  the  ground  of 
croolty.  More  immigrants  arriving  in  1835,  it  wai*  decided  to  enlarge 
the  Rchool,  so  nn  ndnbe  house  was  bought  of  an  old  Caltfomian.  As 
it  was  not  more  than  two  or  three  miles  distant  from  the  different 
fnmiHffi  and  from  the  MiHsion,  it  was  considered  very  central  and 
easy  of  arceas.  This  building  consisted  of  a  room  about  twetity-flve 
feet  long,  with  desk»  and  seats  of  rough  lumber — stakes  driven  Into 


r 


itie  floors  with  boards  upon  thorn  wer«  the  desks,  slanted  at  an  angle 
which  necesflitnted  the  children  hastening  throngh  their  writing  les- 
60DB  in  as  short  a  time  as  possible.  I  am  sure  that  Rpaiii  in  her  ball 
of  inquiBitioa  never  posspssed  seats  like  these;  the  pupils  being 
uailed  to  their  benches  by  the  quantity  and  qualitjr  of  the  splintersi 
were  compelled  to  be  on  their  best  bphavior.  A  dirt  Boor,  which  four 
'Children  were  detailed  evory  Friday  evening  to  sprinkle  and  sweep, 
was  (he  best  the  school  afforded.  There  were  no  windows  to  clean, 
the  two  that  the  building  coutuinMl  were  closed  b,v  hcarj  wooden 
Hhutters.  thrown  upen  during  study  hours,  with  the  soft  summer 
breezes  tloating  in  and  the  song  of  the  mocking  bird  filling  the  air,  we 
studied  our  sometimes  audible  lessons.  The  first  teacher  1  remember 
was  William  A.  Wallace,  sent  bj  the  Department  of  California  to 
«tiidy  the  flora  of  the  Rtate.  Ills  meek  nnd  mild  chraacter  could  not 
stand  the  thonis  of  adversity  which  came  in  the  shape  of  complaints 
made  by  the  boys  to  their  parents,  and  the  parents,  as  usaal,  to  the 
Voard.  that  the  schoolmaster  did  not  know  fractions.  His  time  was 
ftt  taken  up  on  Ratnrdny  and  Sundays  in  the  foothills  among  the 
flowers  that  he  had  no  time  to  do  thoir  sunis. 

Tlie  next  teacher's  forte  was  recitations;  on  Friday  all  learned 
pieces;  none  were  exempt,  from  the  yoHn^<«tt  rliild  to  the  gruwn-np 
nmo.  He  even  went  lo  the  extent  of  giving  a  prize  of  five  dollai-s  for 
the  bent  recitation,  and  on  the  last  day  uf  :he  week  the  walls  of  our 
adobe  hall  echoed  to  the  inspiring  lines  of  "Rienzi's  Address  to  the 
Itomans,"  "The  Ftuy  Stood  on  the  Burning  Di-i-k."  and  "Lord  Ullen's 
Daughter."  This  teacher's  name  was  Claudius  Caesar  Twitch»l,  said 
by  the  men  who  knew  him  to  t>e  a  fine  sclxtlnr;  to  those  who  did  not 
know  him  be  seemed  a  tall,  ungainly,  unkfoipt  man;  and  as  watei 
run  by  the  roadside  and  brushes,  such  as  the  Indians  used,  grew  on 
the  bushes  the  board  demnnded  something  uuiro  than  intellect.  He, 
nut  caring  to  comply  with  their  wlshea,  wont  tbe  way  of  the  former 
teachers. 

As  his  RuccesBor  is  still  seen  on  the  streets,  perhaps  it  would  be 
wise  for  me  to  confine  myself  to  an  anecdote  which  will  Ultislrate 
one  phase  of  his  character.  Among  bis  scholars  were  young  men 
ft)03*B  as  they  were  called.)  devoted  to  the  only  forma  of  amusement 
available  in  the  early  days,  such  as  horse  racing  and  cock  lighting, 
on  Btioduys.  This  side  of  the  teacher's  character  being  still  untar 
niafaed  by  his  advent  to  the  new  K1  Dorado,  he  felt  it  his  duty  to  cor- 


150 


MvmurAi.  aociErT  or  bocthbui  cAunssu 


rect  tlM  morals  of  bis  papils  and  pat  before  them  in  to  hi6eoua  % 
liflbt  their  bn«king  o<  the  Sabbaib  that,  beiog  so  mach  impressed 
bT  h\m  wrraoD,  there  U  no  telling  where  his  inflaenre  migfat  have  ex- 
Icndod,  had  he  onljr  remaioc-d  true  to  his  conrictiona.  Bat  the  reBoJt 
only  shows  how  we  are  ail  open  to  temptation,  and  that  the  mote  la 
onr  own  eye  so  distorts  our  riston  that  we  can  see  onljr  the  besm  in 
Ibe  eve  of  onr  brother. 

In  the  mrlj  days  of  CaHfomia  there  were  other  entertainments 
besides  dancing  and  pirnics,  and  these  were  dajs  when  some  des- 
pitntdo  won  to  be  hong.  On  sacb  days  Ibe  pnblic  was  inTited  to  at 
tend  and  tbia  teacher,  unable  to  witbstund  the  temptation  of  seeing 
a  fellow  man  swung  bjgh  in  air,  dismiased  his  school  that  he  might 
attend  the  sport;  the  only  regret  he  felt  was  that  be  was  there  loo 
late. 

In  strange  contrast  to  this  teacher  was  a  Baptist  mininter  vf 
stem  aspect.  He  begnn  by  reforming  oar  principlM;  evwything  was 
a  sin,  even  a  taagb;  bat  he  created  a  discipline  in  oar  school  which 
it  had  never  before  known.  Juat  as  we  had  beEon  to  like  it,  a  hoy 
who  bad  been  expelM  for  insubordination  complained  to  the  board, 
(whicb  mMint  his  parents)  and  Mr.  Pendleton  was  given  his  walking; 
papers. 

And  now  I  come  to  my  last,  bnt  not  least,  teacher — a  woman.  The 
Irst  advent  among  ns  of  a  woman,  whose  softening  intlnence  w-is 
felt  for  two  years,  the  longest  tei-m  ever  held  In  onr  seboot  She 
ruled  by  love  alone;  being  small  in  stature  and  dolirate  in  heetth,  she 
called  forth  the  rough  sonlimeot  of  tbe  bays  and  they  were  alwa.vs 
on  her  side.  Mrs.  Foster  has  seen  the  darkest  hours  and  known  tbft 
MTverest  sorrows  that  woman  can  know — those  caused  by  a  drnnkoi 
bosband,  and  necessity  bad  sent  her  to  us;  bat  T  think  that  even 
lifter  she  had  left  us  and  entered  upon  a  more  lucrative  position,  abe 
bfld  a  loving  memory  for  our  little  adobe  house  onder  the  live  oaks. 
Bhe  boarded  with  us,  and  she  and  1  walked  to  school  together  in  the 
early  mornings  through  the  wild  flowers,  which  glistened  with  dew 
on  every  side.  The  walk  through  the  lanes  of  willows  and  the  soft 
greetings  of  Mission  Indians,  still  make  a  picture  in  my  mcuDory 
which  time  cannot  efface. 


aOV.  FELEPE  DE  NEVE 

BY  H.  D.  BARROWS. 

(Bead  May  3. 1897.) 

The  appointment  of  Felipo  de  Neve  ob  Qorernor  of  the  Californias 
by  Viceiroy  Bucni-oH  was  in  «very  respect  an  admirable  one.  The 
Viwroy,  himself  an  oflictr  of  enlarged  views,  had  seen  the  evil  ef- 
fects of  the  petty  quaxrelu  uud  obstructive  tactics  that  had  signal- 
ized thft  administration  of  Gov.  Barri;  and  he  therefore  exercised 
the  ntmoat  care  {n  the  selection  of  the  latter'e  successor;  and  in  the 
preparation  of  inatmcttons  for  his  guidance,  in  hia  relation  both  with 
the  commandante  and  with  the  padres. 

Qov.  De  Neve,  who  had  been  a  major  of  cavalry,  came  to  boreto, 
Baja,  California,  and  assumed  the  duties  of  Gefe  Politico  or  Gov- 
ernor of  the  two  CalifomiaSr  March  4,  177S.  The  military  command- 
ante,  Bivera  y  Moncado,  for  a  time  practically  administered  the  af- 
fairs of  the  northern  province,  but  as  thn  extent  and  importance  nf 
this  newly-settled  region  were  better  appreciated,  an  order  was  is- 
sued by  the  King,  during  this  year,  directing  that  Got.  de  Keve 
should  reside  at  Monterey,  and  that  Commandante  Birera  y  Mou- 
rada  should  reside  at  Loreto  and  act  as  Governor  of  the  peninsuhL 
T>e  Neve  arrived  by  land  at  Monterey  in  the  early  part  of  1777,  and 
Bivera  y  Moncada  soon  after  set  out  for  Lower  California.  During 
Gov.  de  Neve'a  ndrainistration  many  important  events  in  Cali- 
fornia history  took  place,  iDcluding  the  fonnding  of  Ave  missions, 
two  presidios  and  two  pueblos,  or  towns. 

The  missiouB  and  the  dates  of  their  establishment  were  as  follotva, 
lo  wit:  Doloi-ea  (San  Fi-anrtsco,)  Oct.  9,  1T76;  San  Juan  Capistrano, 
?Jov.  1,  1776;  Banta  Clara,  July  18,  1777;  San  Gabriel,  Archangel, 
Sept.  8,  1778;  San  Buenaventura,  March  31,  1783. 

The  presidios,  or  military  posts,  established  were:  San  Francinco, 
1776;  Santa  Barbara,  1780.  And  the  pueblos  were:  San  J096  de 
fJuadalupe,  Nov.  29,  1777;  Los  Angeles,  Sept.  4,  17SI. 

It  was  under  de  Neve's  GoverDorsbip  that  stepa  were  taken  to  lay 
the  foundations  of  civil  or  secular  in»titiitiona  in  the  ncwty  settled 
territory.    Almost  from  the  &rst  occupation  the  desirability  of  en- 


RARE  OLD  BOOKS  IN    THE   BISHOP'S   LIBRARY 


BY  THE  REV.  J.  ADAM,  V.O, 

)Tl«id  Dec.  5.  1898.) 

In  Ititthop  Itfootgomfr.v'K  littrnrj  an'  fimiid  mnnv  rare  old  be 
Uuny  of  tlioBe  hnvf  do  du|)lirati^  in  pxistpnec.      These  books  fc 
iuitI}'  belun^cd  to  Ihi*  miKKiiiu  librarii-». 

One  hook  giv(«  iu  iiljdiiilH-ticnl  urd4>r  a.  list  of  the  liidinnB  Imptli 
at  the  Midsiun  Ban  Autonio  do  Padua.  It  pxen  very  little  that  is  In^ 
t^Tf^tiujf.  Mere  art*  Komt;  ciomiiles  of  tlw.'  Indiun  dhiih-n  forind  ii 
it:     lligunichi,  Tulchur,  Tmi^t;  Tizct'olDti.  arnl  nru*  itt  nunicd   tlonj 

whit'h  h»fi  an  KngliHh  iiouiid. 

Amont;  Ihcso  hooks  arr  wvoml  on  iiiufiir.    One  of  IhcBe  ia  dft(( 
ni>  far  bad;  as  1770.  a  year  after  the  first  eiqilorer  ai't  foot  in  I'ppei 
Cnlifomia.    If  I  wore  a  mnnician  I  might  eDlertain  .too  bj  (nving  n 
conrort  of  thin  old  imiRic.  nnd  dlnco  1  hii%*e  UK^ntioned  a  concert.  Vi\- 
tow  me  to  ati^gi>t((  an  idi'a  rhat  ix-enm  to  tne  n»  I  writr>:    Could  v( 
not  engage  aome  lovera  of  mnatr  to  ntad.r  theat^  old  miiaio  booka  and 
give  a  ooueert  for  the  benefit  of  our  irisiorieal  Roelety?     We  rntgh^ 
realiKe  handsomety  from  Kurh  an  eiilertainaient.    One  of  tlietie  tniokl 
of  moeic  Is  written  in  Italian  and  la    called  ''Caccolta    Armoniciul 
namely,  a  colleetion  or  i»election  of  hflnimny.    In  the  first  pane  some" 
ono  that  sij^nw  hiniR4-lf  Peoria  hnn  written  the     following  word(t 
English:    "Uehold  how  I  loved!    Behold  bow  you  are  loredl    Uehol^ 
how  iimch  you  nn-  love<I!    Rebold  how  y<in  are  loved!"    Poor  Peoi 
if  he  had  lived  in  our  lime  lie  could  have  written  "Bobold  how  littl 
[leoplc  love!  Heboid  hiiw  tittle  you  are  loved!"    Howeirer,  the 
i«  not  com|KfM>d  of  profuse  love  songs,  but  all  the  hymns  seem  ro 
■acred,  beginning  with  tbeae  beaiitifal  words,  '•Mundjimi  '.m  nijri 
at  meno  di  pieti  lignnre  to  the  aperc  I  mio    Auore,'* — whth 
"S4'nd  mo  at  leaat  a  rag  of  mercy  o  Ixird;  in  Thee 
truBt." 

Among  these  miraic  papers  I  find  one  called  a 
with  violin,  tromb.  organ  and  t>ajo  ibii-- 
€10  Jerusalem.    Some  of  you,  perhai^. 


id 

1 


OOT.    PCLIFE   DE  ffBTB 


163 


character.  ErldeDtlj-  he  clearly  saw  that  the  missionariee  would 
never  be  able  to  convert  the  Digger  Indians  of  Alta  California  into 
Bel f- governing  citizens.  Therefore  ha  early  took  steps  towards  the 
founding  of  a  civil  State  by  establishing  towns  or  pueblos,  which 
should  be  entirely  separate  from  and  independent  of  the  missionary 
eiHtablishments,  and  also  providing,  as  an  essential  part  of  tbe  plaDj 
for  tbe  distribution  of  pueblo  lands  to  actual  settlers,  etc. 

In  ftepteniher,  1782,  de  Neve  waa  promoted  to  the  office  of  In- 
spector* ieneral  de  Provineiaa  Intcrnas,  and  received  also  the  cross 
of  the  Order  of  San  Carlos;  on  the  lOtb  of  the  same  month  he  was 
succeeded  as  Governor  by  Pedro  Fages;  and  the  neit  your  he  was 
appoiuttMl  Commandante-GcneraJ  de  i'roviucias  Internaa.  Be  died 
Nor.  3,  1784. 

Gov.  de  Nevo's  services  and  ability  were  duly  appreciated  by  the 
governing  authorities  of  Kew  Spain,  as  is  evidenced  by  the  honors 
conferred  upon  him  aa  above  noted.  During  the  latter  portion  of 
fa)B  term  as  Governor  of  California  he  resided  at  San  Gabriel,  direct- 

'  ing  tbd  founding  of  the  new  pueblo  of  Lob  Angeles.  Considering  its 
location  in  the  midst  of  a  magnificent  and  fertile  valley,  with  one  of 
the  finest  and  most  genial  climates  in  tbe  world,  be  must  have  fore- 
seen with  prophetic  eye  that  tbe  modest  civio  settlement  whose 
foundations  be  bad  laid,  and  in  which  he  apparently  took  a  deop  in- 
terest, was  to  have  a  great  future. 

Gov.  de  Keve  bad  no  family.  In  maanere  he  was  courteous;  and 
Jtancroft  with  fine  autitlieBis  pays  bim  this  just  compliment,  that 
while  other  otDcials  followed,  more  or  less  faithfully,  the  policy  laid 

'down  in  superior  instructions,  he  largely  dictated  tbat  policy;  and 
he  further  finely  says  of  him:  "Finding  tbat  tbe  friars  would  not 
Hubmit  to  amicable  recognition  of  the  secular  authorities,  he  pro- 
posed to  restrict  their  control  of  the  mission  tranporalities  and  of 
tbe  nativcf),  in  the  interests  of  cotoDization,  of  real  civilization  ood 
fhe  rights  of  man." 


166 


nisTORicAL  flocierr  or  aovmmjf  califorkta 


At  that  time  there  were  STM  Indians  liviDg  at  tbe  mtuion.  Thej  had 
450(>  head  of  cattle,  4950  sheep,  and  horees,  mules  aod  burros,  103. 
Orop»  ID  wheat,  aowed  84  boshels,  harreated  103;  in  barley,  33  bash- 
eU,  barreated  120;  in  Spanish  peas,  20  bushels,  harvested  31;  Id 
hor»e  peftfl.  2J2  buahela,  harTeflted  22;  in  com,  2  bnahles,  harvested 
60;  is  beona,  2  buabelk,  harvested  S;  total,  406  bushels. 

It  ftnishes  tbe  statement  by  sajiag  that  in  that  year  no  improTe- 
ments  were  mado,  bot  that  tbe  Indians  were  occupied  in  the  Qeld 
and  their  domestic  duties;  that  the  church  was  well  supplied  of 
things  for  dirine  worship,  snd  that  the  tools  for  tilling  the  soil  were 
almost  useless. 

VMiile  at  Santa  Crut  I  collected  from  the  attio  of  my  house  some 
papers  of  the  old  missions,  and  from  them  could  see  that  each  mis- 
sionary was  obliged  every  year  to  send  a  report  to  his  superior  fn 
Mexico  of  tbe  temporal  and  spiritual  state  of  his  mission,  lioxea 
were  filled  with  these  reports  in  the  convent  of  Ban  Fernando,  Mex- 
ico. When  I  visited  the  capital  ten  years  ago  and  asked  the  one 
Tenerable  Franciscan  left  to  take  care  of  the  church  to  show  me 
some  of  those  papers,  -with  a  sigh  he  said  tbey  oxist  no  more.  The 
government  confiscated  our  convent  and  opened  a  street  throngh  oar 
property,  seized  all  papers  and,  thinking  them  not  worth  keeping, 
burned  them.  Many  things  we  might  know  of  tbe  dealings  of  tbe 
Fathers  in  missionary  times  if  our  modem  vandals  had  spared  these 
documents.  As  It  Is,  they  should  be  gathered  up  from  the  different 
■nisaions  for  safe  keeping;  otherwise  in  a  few  years  nothing  will  be 
inown  of  them,  as  to  my  own  knowledge  in  our  rime  they  have  b«en 
-«acd  to  light  tbe  fire  in  some  places. 


HOW  A  WOMAN'S  WIT  SAVED  CALIFORNIA 


■ 


Da  J.  D.  MOODY. 

For  centuries  tlie  longing  vyw  of  Europe  had  been  turned  toward 
India  and  the  Far  East.  The  glowing  rt^ports  of  tbe  few  advent.ir 
oDH  IravelerH  who  had  penetrated  these  n-giona  from  time  to  time 
aroused  the  eupidily  of  tbe  people  of  Europe  and  &red  them,  with 
an  inteune  desire  to  share  in  this  marvelous  wealth. 

India  was  a  word  to  conjure  with.  It  was  this  dream  of  the 
wealth  of  the  indies  which  led  Columbus  to  brave  tbe  dangers  of  an 
unknown  sea.  His  euppoeed  success  aroused  the  world  and  soon 
Hbips  of  every  nation  were  pointing  their  prows  towards  this  golden 
magnet. 

When  it  was  realized  that  the  new-found  world  was  not  India, 
Htrenuous  efforts  were  made  to  find  a  waterway  across  this  conti- 
nental barrier.  Out  of  these  centuries  of  fruitless  search  it  slowly 
dawned  npon  the  commercial  world  that  the  great  highway  to  India 
lay  directly  across  the  continent. 

From  the  first  conception  of  thiR  idea  began  the  struggle  for  tbe 
posBcasion  of  the  Pacific  Coast. 

The  commercial  instinct  of  Great  Britain  early  led  her  to  swore  a 
foothold  on  this  coast,  and  once  having  a  foothold  Bhe  coveted  the 
whole  coast  for  her  own.  It  was  not  the  trade  of  these  regions 
nluDfl.  great  though  it  was.  that  led  to  this  move,  but  she  felt  that 
the  power  holding  the  seaboard  both  on  the  Atlantic  and  the  Pacifln 
held  within  its  grasp  the  key  to  the  trade  with  the  Orient. 

In  the  beginning  of  this  century  Russia  held  all  of  Alaska  and  a 
(•talitm  on  the  coast  a  little  way  above  San  PranciBco.  England 
jioKsessed  the  mainland  adjacent  to  Vancouver  Island,  and  dis^mted 
with  the  United  States  for  tbe  possession  of  the  Oregon  country. 
Tbe  rest  of  the  coast  belonged  to  Spain- 

Already  some  American  statesman  bad  dreamed  of  a  great  em- 
pire on  the  Pacific  Coast  growing  out  of  the  development  of  oar 
western  frontier,  and  some,  at  least,  looking  into  futnrur,  -iiw  the 
necessity  of  directing  this  stream  of    Oriental  wealth  to  our  owu 


158 


HinxjRICAL  SOCIETY   OT  BOUTBEBN   CAI^TORSIA 


obrirpR — a  dream  whtdi  ts  only  juat  now  ahont  1i»  b*»  falAIN'J. 

At  the  l>f£iiiiiing  of  this  century  tlto  Pm-iflt-  Con**t  luitl  all  the  in 
t«trveaiiig  territory  l>etw«'n  that  and  1lie  MiHsisKJppi  Rivpr  wab  » 
vtritaMt*  Iwra  incognita.  But  from  time  to  lime  hauten*,  trnpiien 
and  oUier  adveDliirons  spirits  [wuctrnted  ihetk*  wiIcIk,  and,  t-oiuiag 
back,  told  marveloiis  tales  of  eternal  sunBhlno  and  fertile  landi. 
ReHtiettH  Iiunmnity  tunu'd  lonKiiig  eyes  towards  thoM*  rt'giona.  Thii 
spirit  of  territorial  expansiuii  crepl  inio  t'ongiH'SHionul  debate  and 
hr^fCan  to  educate  our  stateamen  in  the  poseibilitiea  that  Iny  before  an. 

Onr  thinkin);  men  were  beginning!  to  feel  tbat  nil  of  (he  Parific 
*>»aBt  opiHJsite  our  eaatern  border,  with  all  of  the  intiTveniiig  rcrri- 
tory  naturally  did,  and  eventually  should,  belone  to  ns.  This  tdm 
b^  them  to  keep  a  jealous  eye  on  Ent;laad's  niorementv  in  the  I'ta- 
ciflc. 

The  Spanish  poMeaslons  of  Alta  California  wero  far  from  tbv 
homo  povernnient,  and  held  by  a  fiction  of  colonial  authority  tJwt 
eould  easily  he  broken — 'and  even  after  the  indt-pendenoi-  of  Mexico 
made  this  Mextean  territory,  it  was  practically  as  far  from  the  tbes 
home  govni'nineut  and  as  lightly  held;  and  11  was  evident  thnt  at  no 
diatanl  day  it  would  be  owned  by  a  stronger  government.  After  a 
time  the  Russians  abandoned  their  CalLforuta  settlementa  and  re- 
tired to  the  extrMue  north. 

Great  Britain  and  Fronee  were  understood  to  be  watching  for  a 
pretext  to  Interfere  and  take  poasession  of  the  countTT'.  Amcric^B 
statesmen,  however,  were  alert  to  foil,  if  possible,  any  sueh  attempt. 
Under  government  auspices  and  by  private  enterprise;  expeditioa 
nfter  expedition  had  croased  the  deserts  and  penutrated  the  foat- 
nesses  of  the  Rocky  Mountains.  At  the  lime  of  our  story,  in  1842-3. 
the  Oregon  question  was  nut  yet  setlltvl.  hut  was  a  source  of  great 
HDxiety,  and  the  cause  of  fretiuent  eoiiirounieations  between  the  jcov- 
ernmonts. 

Bt.  Louis  was  at  this  time  the  great  emporium  of  the  W(>st.  It  wna 
here  tbat  traders  and  expeditions  were  fitted  out.  and  it  was  here 
that  returned  trappers  and  travelers  congreiiati.^.  The  stories  of 
ibe  wonders  they  saw.  the  rich  plains,  immense  herds  of  buffalo  and 
other  game,  great  mountains,  anil  golden  op|>ortuuittes,  firad  with 
iiuthusiasm  the  already  restless  population  of  the  Eastern  Stales. 
Jiinigniiits  began  [loaring  into  the  Oregon  conntry  and  were  lookiag 
to  thft  government  for  sympathy  and  for  substantia!  aid.    Thob.  U. 


now   A   WOHAU'S   WIT   SAVKD    CAUFOBNIA 


169 


Upnton,  Boimtor  from  MiRKoiiri,  hud  his  home  liere.  He  was  a  man 
of  vixdf  culture  and  of  great  influence  in  the  nntional  ronni-ilg. 
There  weiv  noue  of  the  statoBmen  of  IJjat  day  who  huw  thi'  jtoHsibill- 
(iee  of  our  country's  fntnre  and  v.ho  rould  plan  for  it  na  he. 

His  home  wan  the  center  in  which  giitlicred  men  who  hold  in  com- 
mon with  him  otte  grrat  zeal  for  weutern  expauaioD.  Ui-re  travelers 
from  the  Weal  met  atatratnen  and  tradeHuieu  from  the  Kust  and 
talked  of  tlic  woudei-H  of  thia  newest  worh).  and  planned  for  this 
^veat  eonsummation. 

His  daufjhter,  JeiiHift  teuton,  waa  at  tfaia  time  but  a  mias  in  ber 
t6*;ng,  but  of  far  greater  average  intelligence  than  tnoat  of  her  age. 
Hhe  was  her  father's  amaiiuensifl,  and  as  such  abe  listoiit-d  with  won- 
der and  delight  to  these  con  versa  tiona,  and  early  became  enthused 
with  their  far-reaching  plang. 

The  Mexican  war  was  beginning  to  loom  np  on  the  political  hori- 
Kon.  Causes  growing  out  of  the  social  conditions  in  the  8onth  were 
urging  it  on.  This  to  many  seemed  the  great  question  of  the  day, 
and.  strange  to  relate,  many  »f  the  New  England  m<in  of  influence 
joined  with  the  southern  men  in  their  opposition  to  thitt  western  ex- 
pansion. Wpstem  intepestH  wen*  by  them  relepaled  to  the  fature. 
It  Is  amnsing  in  tin-  light  of  today  to  read  some  of  the  debates  in 
tJongpeas  on  this  subject.  The  whole  country  beyond  St.  Txiuia  to 
the  rni'iflc  was  declared  valueleitH  and  thai  it  could  never  be  popo- 
Intcd.  It  was  Feared  that  a  strong  atand  by  our  government  on  the 
Oregon  qaesliou  would  be  resented  by  Great  Britain,  and  it  was  to 
their  interest  in  this  junction  in  Mexican  alTaira  to  placate  her,  bo 
ihey  threw  every  obstacle  iu  the  way  of  (his  western  movement.  Bat 
Renatnr  Benton  threw  the  whole  weight  of  his  influence,  political 
and  social,  in  favor  of  Ihitf  extension.  lie  galheivd  about  him  in  his 
M'aahiugton  hotne  a  group  of  men  who  thought  as  be  did.  They  not 
only  saw  with  the  mind's  eye  a  great  nation  in  the  future,  but  also 
the  uHcessity  for  a  great  commerce  to  sostain  that  nation  in  its 
p'reatnces. 

On  the  tombstone  of  Senator  Benton  at  St.  Ivonis  if*  carved  a  hand 
with  the  finger  pointing  to  the  West,  and  underneath  theae  words: 
"There  is  the  Kaat, 
''There  is  the  road  to  India." 

The  dream  of  Columbus  wan  stilt  haunting  the  minds  of  men. 
Abont  this  time  John  C.  Fremont,  a  young  Itentenant  of  engineem. 


ViO 


nrSTORICAL  SOCWTT  or  BOnTBWtli  CAUFOINU 


became  an  Inroatn  of  Senator  Benton's  family,  and  was  destined  to 
play  a  considerable  part  in  this  opening  of  tbe  Weat. 

In  1842  Whitman,  a  aii8sionar.T  to  Oregon,  learned  definitely  of  an 
attempt  soon  to  be  made  by  the  British  to  folly  orcapy  Oregon, 
which  op  to  this  time  bad  boen  nnder  the  joint  control  of  Great  Brit- 
ain and  tbe  United  t^tates. 

His  wonderfal  ride  to  Washington  and  its  resolls  is  a  matter  of 
history.  It  aronaed  tbe  country  and  tent  an  additional  interest  to 
this  disruMsion.  Lieut.  Fremont  had  lately  been  engaged  in  an  ex- 
pedition Into  the  Indian  country,  and  this  contact  with  its  wild  ac- 
liritips  hut  whetted  an  appetite  already  keea  with  the  explorer's  od 
thDBiasm. 

This  was  a  period  of  great  excitement  in  our  country.  Trouble 
with  Mexico  w^ag  brewing.  James  Buchanan  was  Secretary  of 
Rtate.  Much  of  (he  correttpoodence  and  many  of  the  public  docn 
ments  coming  to  his  office  were  in  the  RpaniRh  lan-gnnge.  These  he 
Utak  to  Senator  Benton's  housn  for  translation.  His  young  daueh- 
ter  did  much  of  this  work  and  thus  came  to  hare  a  compi^lisnai  ^'e 
knowledge  of  these  national  queK(.ions.  a  knowledge  which  Hhe  soon 
nade  good  use  of.  The  necessity  for  a  better  acfiuaiutance  with  tbJM 
western  territory  became  imperative.  In  lS-12  wesivrn  inHueucf  Be- 
cured  the  fitting  out  of  an  expedition  to  the  "frontier  beyond  tbe 
Mississippi,"  as  the  orders  read,  and  with  Lieut.  Fremont  as  its 
leader.  As  the  government  did  not  wish  to  hare  any  trooble  with 
England  ari»e  at  this  time,  and  possibly  fearing  some  hidden  reason 
for  its  going,  insisted  that  it  be  conducted  as  a  peaceful,  geograph- 
ical expedition.    The  western  men  had  to  proceed  cautiously. 

Liont.  Fremont  did  not  like  these  orders,  and  with  Senator  Ben- 
ton's influence,  secured  a  modification  allowing  it  to  go  to  the  Bockj 
Monntains,  with  Sooth  Pass,  the  gateway  to  Oregon,  as  the  partic- 
ular point  to  be  examined.  Those  In  the  secn^t  meant  that  it  should 
be  morB  than  this;  that  in  fact,  it  shonld  lend  a  direct  aid  to  the  em- 
igration Into  Oregon  in  order  that  we  shonld  possess  the  land  our 
■elves.  Miss  Benton  had  now  become  Lieut.  Fremont's  wife,  and  as 
bis  secretory,  accompanied  him  to  St.  Ixiiiis,  where  he  was  to  tit  out 
tbe  expedition.  Among  other  things  he  added  a  howitzer  to  bis 
eijoipment.  This  coming  to  the  notice  of  the  dojinrtment  at  Wash- 
ington, the  chief  of  the  To[K)graphical  Burenn  sent  an  order  at  once 
for  bis  return  to  Washington  to  txplaio  why.  in  fitting  out  a  sclen- 


HOfW  A   WOJCAJf'S  WIT  SAHCD   CALIFORNU 


ttflc  expedition,  he  bad  added  this  milittrj  ciii<ii>ineDt. 

Fremont  in  tlie  nipontime,  having  gotten  his  party  together,  had 
moved  to  Kaw's  Landing  i^neur  whore  Kaneai!  Citj  now  utanda,)  in 
order  that  hi«  horses  might  feed  on  the  tender  new  grass  as  a  t^etter 
I»reparation  for  the  long  journej  before  them.  Hi»  wife,  as  his  sec- 
retary, was  to  oi>en  hiH  mail  uiid  forward  such  as  concerned  him,  to- 
gether  witli  Huch  supplies  as  were  needed  to  complete  the  organiita- 
(ion.  In  this  capacity  she  opened  the  letter  from  Washington. 
When  she  read  its  contents  she  instinctirety  saw  that  it  would  de- 
hiy  and  hinder  the  plans  farmed  with  so  much  core  and  circumspen- 
Ifon,  and  she  also  felt  that  in  this  order  a  hidden  hand  was  at  work. 
Uer  woman's  wit  grasped  the  aituation,  she  retained  the  order  and 
wrote  her  huaband  to  atart  at  once  and  aak  no  questions. 

Attached  to  Prcn'.oot's  party  was  a  Frenchman.  I>e  Roaier,  one 
of  his  most  trusty  .uen.  His  wife  waa  in  Kt.  Louis  and  anon  to  be 
eonflnod.  He  waa  with  her  at  this  time.  Mrs.  Fremont  feared  that 
duplicate  orders  miyht  have  been  seut  by  some  other  means.  In 
her  (luandary  she  thought  of  De  Rosier,  and  felt  that  she  could  trust 
faim.  She  sent  for  him  and  asked  him  how  soon  hn  could  start  with 
a  message  to  Lieut.  Fremont.  He  paid  "at  once."  Hhe  explained  to 
him  the  necessity  tor  hurry,  and  directed  him  to  go  overland  and  bv 
thp  most  direct  '/toy,  taking  advantage  of  erery  cut-off  he  could 
make.  The  rpute  tliia  way  would  he  shorter  thau  by  the  river,  the 
route  on  which  any  duplicate  orders  would  probably  be  sent.  In  her 
letter  she  told  Li?nt.  PVemoDt  that  there  waa  need  of  hurry,  and  to 
Ptart  at  once  with  the  horses  in  such  condition  as  they  were  and  not 
to  await  further  atipplles.  On  receipt  of  her  letter  he  moved  at  on  •© 
to  Bent's  Ford,  a  long  w^vb  westward  and  quite  out  of  reach  of  aoj 
orders  from  Washington. 

When  Mrs.  Fremont  received  this  order  she  waa  sitting  in  her 
room  with  her  work  basket  by  her  side  doing  some  sewing  for  a  lit- 
tle daughter.  Instead  of  forwarding  this  with  the  rent  of  the  mail, 
she  tucked  the  order  underneath  the  baby  clothes  in  the  basket  and 
Bent  instead  the  now  famous  order.  Lieut.  Fremont  did  not  know 
the  reasons  for  her  vague  but  imperative  command  until  eighteen 
months  alter,  when  be  returned  from  Ibis  trip.  He  had  faith  in  bis 
wife  and  went  without  a  qneation. 

Mrs,  Fremont  at  once  wrote  to  his  chief  in  Wasbin^on  just  what 
Bhe  had  done,  and  giving  as  her    reason  the    forward  state  of  the 


or 


prefMuvtioiis  for  tbe  «a|KditiaB.  mnd  tbc 


of  the 


whidi 


vOBld  Buke 


a  w&it  of  «  wbol^  ym.  if  oow  delayed. 


Bar  tetJwr.  feSraEstor  Beotua.  approved  of  bcr  actioo  and  ilefcudod 
btr  «o  aarreairally  tbat  Bothwg  aove  waii  Mid  about  it. 

la  this  <-xprdit>oa  Lieot.  Proaoat  «aa  accidMitaU?  tvnwd  into 
California  and  tnTeraed  a  good  porttea  of  thai  T(>iTi(ar7.  The  re 
inrta  of  ifat*  r  ryi Jiri—  cJceuiftwl  the  wbek*  cooatry.  and  anntaed 
a  ffTcat  iotnvfft  in  Europe.  la  1842  oae  thooMad  eiaigfaaU  uo—jd 
Uht  mtHiataina  into  Orepn  and  ta  1813  tira  thaoMEBd  aara  went 
Ihrooich  the  paae  ezploivd  bf  PreoMmL  Tboae  living  at  the  tim«  re- 
port the  exciteiaent  both  in  this  coaatT7  and  in  Europe  as  aoinethias 
w—derlnl.  Tba  report*  of  thia  expedition  led  to  a  third  just  io 
time  to  snatch  the  RoMen  California  from  the  bands  of  the  Briiiah. 
nadj  to  elDtch  it  iBeatonj  Had  this  second  expedition  been  aban- 
doned at  tbia  time,  onder  tbeaa  ocden  from  Waahington,  andoabt- 
edlv  the  Britith  woald  hare  gaiDed  poaoeaiioo,  not  onlj  of  Oreitoo, 
bat  of  the  whole  Pafifle  Coajti. 

It  waa  a  bmre  thin^  for  Hra.  Fremont  to  do.  the  retaining  of  tbia 
order  and  tbo  sending  the  expedition  off.  bat  she  bad  faith  in  her 
bonband.  in  ber  father's  pralecliun,  and  in  a  great  vcrtrm  empire 
for  tbia  coontr;. 

Than  it  was  that  a  woman's  wit  saved  to  os  Galifomia — and  the 
Orient  aa  weU. 


EL  ESTADO  LIBRE  DE  ALTA  CALIFORNIA 

THE  KREK  STATE  OF  UPPER  CALIFORNIA 
BY  J.  M.  QUINN. 

(Read  March  5,  1898.) 

Tlierft  is  no  other  Stati*  or  Territoi-,v  in  our  Federal  Tnioii  that, 
during  its  civic  life,  has  lived  under  so  many  different  forms  of  gov- 
ernmeat  as  California  has. 

First  a  semi-civic  semi  ecclesiastical  colony  of  ^pain;  from  that  it 
changes  to  a  province  of  the  empire  of  ?lfexico,  next  a  Territory  of 
the  Mexican  republic,  then  the  free  and  sovereign  Htate  of  Alta  Cali- 
fornia— an  independent  government — a  nation  all  b.v  itself;  back 
again  as  a  department  of  tlie  supreme  government  of  Mexico;  next 
the  California  republic,  with  the  Bear  Flag  a«  its  emblem;  then  a 
Territory  of  the  TTnited  States,  with  n  military  Ooremofj  and  lastly 
K  •overelgn  State  of  the  Federal  Union.  The  Rtnry  of  the  California 
republic  and  its  emblem,  the  Itear  Fine.  1>"S  hecn  told  many  times; 
and  by  dramatic  historians  ma^niiflcvl  beyond  its  real  importance, 
but  the  Htory  of  the  rise  and  fall  of  El  KKtado  Libre  y  Soberano  de 
Alta  rjilifomia  (Tlie  Free  and  Sovereign  State  of  Up|ier  California) 
nnder  its  ttelf-constituted  Governor.  Junn  Bautista  Alvarado.  is  al- 
most ail  unknown  cliapter  of  California  history.  Writton  in  quaint 
provincial  Spauisb  on  the  pagt*s  of  the  old  pneblo  archives  in  frag- 
mentary chapters  w  told  the  story  of  its  stormy  life  and  untimely 
death:  or  rathif.  is  told  the  i>art  that  Ixw  Angeles  played  in  the  life 
drama  of  El  Kstado  Libre  (The  Free  State.) 

The  effort  to  free  C'alifornia  from  tlie  domination  of  Mexico  and 
make  her  an  independent  govemmpnr  was  one  of  those  spasmodic 
MowM  (or  liberty  the  records  of  which  are  scattered  thickly  over  the 
(wges  of  history.  The  origin  of  the  movement  to  make  California 
independent  and  the  causee  (hat  led  to  an  outbreak  against  the  gov- 
erning power  were  very  similar  to  those  which  led  to  our  separation 
fi-om  our  own  mother  country — England — namely,  bad  Governor*. 
Between  1831  and  183*i,  when  Alvarado,  a  native-born  Californian, 
became  Governor,  the  Territory  had  had  six  Mexican-born  Govlm-uots. 


164 


Two  of  these  tbe  CUifiocviaaa  JuibkJ  mmd  ikfUJ  oat  o<  tke  ooas- 
try,  aad  a  Ibird  waa  MAda  ■»  sscaaifoftable  Uiat  be  exiled  him— If 
lfa»7  of  tbe  acta  of  tbeae  Oorersrcw  were  a*  de^MJtk  aa  tboae  of  tte 
rnjal  OoT«raon  of  the  colooiea  before  tbe  rerolatioaL  GalUonua 
waa  a  fertile  fteM  for  Hexicaa  adT«atarerB  of  brofcea  foctaDea.  Hex- 
kaa  oBeera  conmaDded  tbe  troopa,  Mexican  ofBcialt  looked  after 
tht  rwmoea  and  eiDbmJed  ihe'm.  Tbere  waa  bo  oatlet  for  tbe  mm- 
bttlotu  oatiretioni  aonii  of  Calif<vnla.  Ihere  waa  no  chance  fOr 
tben  to  obtain  olBce.  And  one  of  the  most  traasnvd  prerof^lHce 
of  tbe  free-bora  citiaeo  of  any  republic  i»  tbe  piirllege  of  holdiai 
oBea. 

A  aeriea  of  petty  arrogancea  court  ncaadala,  orerbeariiis  acta  of 
offlciala.  arbitrary  arreata,  and  banUimeata  and  impriaotimrnta  of 
prominent  men  ninniog  through  tbe  administrations  of  Oorenton 
Victoria,  Goiierrez  and  Chico  r«aalting  in  eereral  yviXj  rerolatioaB, 
Bnallj  culminatlug  in  an  uprising  or  revolt  at  Mooterpy  in  No*'^ 
1K36,  headed  by  C^astro  and  Alvarado.  Tbey  collected  an  arm/  of 
75  natirea  and  an  anxiiiary  force  of  25  Auiei'can  hunters  and  tnip 
pom  under  the  command  of  Orahsm,  a  ba<;kwoodsmaD  from  Teont^ 
•ee.  B.T  a  itrateRic  movement,  Alvarado  and  Ca«tro  captured  the 
Castillo  which  comLmunded  tbe  presidio  whcrt  Goherret  and  the 
Slexican  army  officers  were  stationed.  The  patriots  demanded  tbe 
••iirrender  of  the  fort  and  the  arms.  The  Oovc-mor  refused  to  aur- 
render.  A  shot  from  the  canoon  of  the  castillo  was  fired  into  tbe 
eummandante's  house,  scatterinf;  tbe  Govemor  and  bU  staff.  Tbis, 
nnd  the  desertion  of  most  of  hiH  soldiers  to  the  patriota,  brODgbt  tbe 
flovernor  to  tf-mia.  On  the  nth  of  November,  1836.  be  surrendered 
tbe  presidio.  Ho  and  about  70  of  bis  adherents  were  placed  aboard 
a  Teasel  in  the  harbor  and  shortly  afterward  shipped  to  Mexico. 
With  tbe  Mexican  Governor  and  his  officers  out  of  the  Territory  tbe 
next  move  of  Castro  and  Alvarado  waa  to  call  a  meeting  of  tbe  dip- 
utarlon  or  Territorial  CongreBs.  A  plan  for  the  independence  of 
Califortiia  was  adopted  iu  which  it  was  declared  that  "California  is 
ei^ected  into  a  free  and  sovwetgn  Btate,  establishing  a  Congrea 
which  shall  ]>aMH  all  the  special  laws  of  the  country;  also  assume 
(he  ollwr  nc<-<'(wary  supreme  powers."  "The  religion  will  be  Roman 
Catholic  apostolic,  without  admitting  the  public  worship  of  any 
other,  but  the  Rovomment  will  molest  no  one  for  his  private  re- 
ligious opinions." 


I 


■BTADO  LtBRK  DS  ALTA  CALIFORNIA 


165 


I 


lie  diputacion  issaed  a  declaration  of  independence  tliat  ar- 
raigned the  mother  coontry,  Mexico,  and  her  offlcinls  very  much  in 
the  style  that  oar  own  declaration  girce  it  to  King  George  III. 

Caatro  issued  a  proouDciamietito  ending  with  viva  la  tederacion, 
vira  la  libertad,  viva  el  estado  Ubre  y  Soberano  de  Alta  California! 
^Tbe  Free  and  Sovereign  State  of  Alta  California.) 

Thus  amid  rivaa  and  pronunciamientoa,  with  the  beating  of 
drumt  and  the  booming  of  cannon,  Estado  Libre  de  California  waa 
launched  on  the  political  eca.  But  it  was  rough  sailing  for  the  little 
<;raft.  Her  ship  of  Htatc  struck  a  rock  and  for  a  time  shipwreck  waa 
threatened.  For  years  there  had  been  a  growing  jealousy  between 
Northern  and  Bonthern  Claifomia.  Iam  Angeles  through  the  cf- 
forta  of  Joed  Antonio  Oarrillo  had  succeeded  io  obtaining  a  decree 
from  the  Mexican  Congrosa  in  1835  making  it  the  capital  of  the  Ter- 
ritory. Monterey  had  persistently  refused  to  give  up  the  Governor 
and  the  archives.  In  the  movement  to  make  California  a  free  and 
iudcpondeot  Ktate,  the  Angelenos  recognized  an  attempt  on  the  part 
of  the  people  of  the  north  to  dnprire  them  of  the  capital.  Althoogb 
as  bitterly  oppost^d  to  Mexican  Governors  and  tia  active  in  fomenting 
revolutions  against  them  as  the  people  of  Monterey,  the  Augulenos 
chose  to  profeaa  loyalty  to  the  mother  country.  Tbey  opposed  the 
plan  of  government  adopted  by  the  Congress  at  Monterey  and  forma- 
lated  a  plan  of  their  own  in  which  they  declared  California  was  not 
free;  that  "the  Roman  Catholic  apostolic  religion  ehall  preyail  in 
this  Jurisdiction  and  any  person  publicly  professing  any  other  ahall 
t>t*  prosecuted  a^  has  been  the  custom  heretofore;"  and  closed  by 
professing  their  loyalty  to  Mexico. 

San  Diego  and  ftan  Luis  Rey  sided  with  Los  Angeles,  Sonoma  and 
Pan  Josd  with  Monterey,  while  Santa  Barbara,  always  conscrva 
tive,  was  undecided,  but  finally  issued  a  plan  of  her  own. 

Alvarado  and  Caatro  determined  to  suppress  the  revolutionary 
Angelefioa.  They  collected  an  army  of  80  natives  and  2fi  American 
riflemen  under  Graham  and  Coppinger  and  with  this  force  prepared 
to  move  against  the  recalcitrant  sureilos  fsoutbeniers.)  The  Aynn- 
tamiento  of  Los  Angeles  began  preparations  to  resist  the  'nvadera. 
A  force  of  270  men  was  enrolled,  part  of  which  was  Indian  neophytes. 
To  secure  the  sinews  of  war.  Jost^  Sepulveda,  second  alcalde,  was 
■ent  to  the  Mission  Ban  Fernando  to  aeize  what  money  there  waa  in 


ise 


HlflTORIRAL   80CIBTY   OF   BOUTHERN    CALIPOBSIA 


th«  hands  of  MayordomA.  Hp  returned  wUh  two  packagf-R  which, 
when  ctMinh'd,  were  foand  to  contain  $2000.  Kconia  piitmlled  the 
Cunimo  dt-l  Key  us  far  iw  Pan  Ituonavfiitiini  and  piohffttt  guarded 
Itic  I'uttft  of  the  ('H)iiH-ii^-fi  mill  lbi>  Uodeo  (1h  Ian  Agiiaa  to  pri'veut 
norilii'm  a]tici*  from  i-ntcrinR  and  aonthem  traitnrH  from  getting  out 
of  llw*  pufl)Io,  Tlif  wmihi'rn  iirtny  was  itiiitioiH'd  nl  San  Firruaudo 
undcv  tbf>  comnuuid  of  .Mfeivz  lEoi'tiii.  Alvarado.  puehiug  nipidly 
down  lilt'  r«ai*t,  rLMicht-d  Hanla  Barbara,  where  be  woa  kindly  re- 
reived  and  bin  forco  recruited  to  120  men,  wilb  two  pieces  of  aHillcry. 
On  (lie  lOtli  of  January.  IKJT,  frutn  San  Utieuavtuitam  he  diiipittclied 
a  t'ouoiliatory  letter  to  the  .Vyuntamientn  of  Low  Anjiele«,  but  inti- 
mated in  it  that  he  bad  a  Inrue  foro«>  which  he  wnnid  nsc  against 
their  army  if  it  became  necosaary.  The  Iiint  had  the  desirtKl  effect. 
The  Aynntamiento  concluded  that  Juan  Uautista  was  not  aoch  a 
very  bad  fellow,  after  all.  Commiasionem  were  w-nt  to  treat  with 
him.  .\fter  considerable  parlftying  no  decision  was  reached.  Alva- 
rado cut  Hhort  the  negotiations  by  demanding  rhe  immediate  surren- 
der of  the  Mission  Han  Fernando,  intimating  that  if  bis  demand  was 
not  cuniplicHl  with  at  once  he  would  take  it  by  forco.  The  .\ngelr- 
Hob  had  u  wholesome  fear  of  Grnham'.i  riflemen.  These  folnwa,  armed 
with  long  Kenlucky  rifles,  shot  to  kill,  and  should  they  be  turned 
hiOKH  on  (be  southerners,  the  male  population  of  lios  Angeles  wonld 
lu  gn-atly  i-etluceil.  so  the  romuiisaiouerK  wiib  very  had  grace  or- 
dered (he  mission  vacated  and  llieir  soldiers  to  return  to  Loe  Ange- 
les. RochiL,  the  commandtu-  of  the  sonthem  army,  awore  more  ter- 
ribly tlian  "(he  army  in  Flandtvs." 

The  day  after  the  aorrender  of  the  miestou,  Jan.  22,  18:^7,  the 
Aynntamiento  held  a  session,  and  the  iueml)er8  were  as  obdurate 
and  belligei-ent  as  ever.  They  resolved  Ihat  it  was  only  ia  the  in- 
terosts  of  humanity,  and  to  avoid  bloodshed  that  the  mission  had 
been  surrendered  to  the  enemy;  Jiud  declared  that  Californiu  was  not 
a  free  and  sovereign  Rtute;  that  Juan  Bautista  was  not  its  Governor, 
and  that  IjOs  Angeles  was  ready  to  defend  (he  national  intt^rily 
and  maintain  the  laws  of  the  supreme  govfrnment.  Xext  day  Al- 
viirndo  entered  the  city  without  opposition,  the  Angelenian  soldicni 
retiring  to  San  riubriel.  ntid  from  Ihore  scattering  to  ihi'ir  hom»>a. 

An  extraordinary  session  nf  the  most  lllustriou*  Avuntamiento 
was  called.  A  treaty  of  amity  was  agreed  apon  by  which  .\lvarado 
was  rccognizeil  as  Govenmr.  The  belligerent  anrefloB  vied  with  each 


I 

.1 

I 

I 


I 


BBTADO   LIBRE   DE   ALTA   CAUTORNU 


167 


»tlier  ID  exprt-KBing  their  aditiirntioii  for  the  new  order  of  (hings. 
J'io  Pico  wished  to  <*xpre«8  thf>  pleasure  it  gavL^  him  to  see  an  hijo  del 
pniB — a  son  of  tlio  countrj- — in  offlre;  and  Antonio  Otdo.  tlie  moHt 
belligerent  <»f  the  sonthemero,  declared  '•that  sooner  than  apaiu 
(tiit>mil  to  a  Mexiran  dictator  ns  Oovernor.  he  would  flctf>  to  the  forest 
and  be  devoured  b,v  wild  Lciiats."  Alvarado  made  a  concilintor.v 
speech,  in  which  he  thanked  Pico  jind  the  Council  for  the  good  opin 
ion  they  had  expresaed  of  llm  Territorial  government  and  hinmelf. 
He  proTniwed  that  he  would  sec  to  it  that  offices  were  conferred  on 
native  sons.  Hereafter  the..T  would  examine  into  the  character  of 
guverumenl  officials.  1116  supreme  gorernment  had  sent  men  here 
who  had  in  many  cases  turned  nut  to  be  "oitlier  knave«  or  fools."  He 
begged  their  pardon  for  ueiug  such  Iiarsh  terniB,  but  the.v  were  in- 
dicative of  lits  frankness.  Then  he  intimated  to  the  members  of 
Conu'  il  that  it  took  monoy  to  8up()ort  a  standing  armjp,  but  under 
certain  circiinistauce*  wuch  an  arm.v  was  necessarv;  therefore  would 
tbey  pleaiie  turn  orer  to  him  the  money  they  bad  taken  from  tLe 
Mission  Ran  Fernando.  With  a  wry  face  very  nju<-h  such  as  a  boy 
wears  when  he  is  told  that  he  has  been  spnnked  for  his  own  goiMl, 
the  alcalde  paid  over  the  balance  of  the  miasion  money  to  J'mn 
Kautistu;  and  the  Governor  ti>ok  his  departure,  leaving,  however, 
Ool.  .lo8<^  Castro  at  the  Mirtaion  Ran  tiiibriel  with  part  of  the  army 
to  watch  the  Augelefloe.  Peace  had  apparently  been  established 
throughout  the  realm.  And  Estndo  Tjibre  do  California  took  her 
plane  among  the  nations  of  the  earth.  Rut  the  reign  of  peare  was 
brief.  At  the  meeting  of  the  Aynntaraiento.  May  117,  IKS?.  .luan 
Itandini  iind  Santiago  E.  Arguello  of  Kan  Diego  appeared  with  a 
prouunciarnieulo  and  a  pluji — San  Diego's  plan  of  government. 
Monterey.  Banla  Barbara  anLl  I.op  Angt'les  had  each  fominlated  a 
plan  of  gorernmeut  for  lUe  Territory,  and  now  it  was  Pan  Diego's 
turn.  Agnstin  V.  Zauiarano,  who  had  been  exiled  with  Gov,  Guti- 
errez, had  crossed  the  frontier  and  was  made  Comraandante-deneral 
and  Torritorial  I'olitical  Chief  ad  interim  by  the  San  Diego  revoln- 
tiouistft. 

The  Ran  Dic*co  plan  restored  California  to  obedience  to  the  so- 
preme  government.  All  nets  of  the  diputnclon  and  the  Monterey 
plan  were  annulled,  and  the  northern  rebels  were  to  bo  arraigned 
and  tried  for  their  pai^  in  the  revolution,  and  so  on  through  twenty 
BTtieles.    On  the  plea  of  an    Indian    outbreuk  noar    San  Diego  in 


168 


HwroRicAL  socnerr  op  notrrnKitN  oalivornia 


which  the  red  meo  it  was  reported  "were  to  make  as  end  of  tb« 
white  race,"  the  big  cnnooD  and  a  number  of  men  were  secnred  at 
Los  Angeles  to  assist  in  suppressing  the  Indians,  bat  iu  reality  to 
reinforce  the  army  of  the  Ban  Diego  revolutionists.  With  a  force  of 
125  roen  under  Zatnorano  and  Portilla,  "the  army  of  the  supreme 
government''  moved  againut  Castro  at  Los  Angeles.  Castro  retreated 
to  fianta  Barbara  and  Ponilla'a  army  took  up  its  position  at  Ban 
Fernando.  The  civil  and  military  officials  of  Los  Angeles  took  the 
oath  to  support  the  Mexican  Constitution  of  l>v3(3,  and  this  absolved 
them  from  all  allegiance  to  Juan  Bautista  and  bis  Monterey  plan, 
at  leaH(  ko  they  thought.  Alvarado  hurried  reiu  force  meats  to  Castro 
at  t^iita  Itarbara  and  Portilla  called  loudly  for  'men,  arma  and 
horses"  to  march  against  and  conquer  the  northern  rebels.  But 
neither  military  chief  advanced  beyond  bis  own  frontier,  and  the 
summer  wore  away  without  a  battle.  There  were  rumors  that  Mex- 
ico was  preparing  to  send  an  army  of  1000  men  to  subjugate  Lbe 
rebellious  Califomians. 

In  October  came  the  news  that  Jos^  Antonio  Carrillo,  the  Macha* 
vein  of  California  politics,  had  persuaded  President  Dustamente  of 
Mexico  to  appoint  Carloa  Carrillo,  Josh's  brother,  Governor  of  Oalt* 

fumia. 

Then  conatemation  seized  the  Free-State  men  of  the  north  and 
the  Rureflofl  (southerners)  of  Iaib  Angeles  went  wild  with  Joy.  They 
illuminated  the  town  t-hat  night  and  the  big  caanou  boomed.  It  was 
not  that  tbey  loved  Carloe  Carrillo,  for  be  wae  a  Banta  Barbara  man, 
and  had  opposed  them  iu  the  late  un]>lpaBantnesa,  but  tliey  saw  in 
his  appointment  an  opportunity  to  get  revenge  on  Juan  Bautlata  for 
the  way  he  had  humiliated  them.  They  congratulated  Carrillo  on 
his  appointment  and  invited  him  to  make  Ikw  Angeles  the  seat  of 
his  government.  Carrillo  was  flattered  by  their  attentions  and  con- 
»-nted.  The  6th  of  December,  1837,  was  set  for  his  inanguration, 
and  great  preparationn  were  made  for  the  event.  The  big  cannon 
was  brought  over  from  Ban  Gabriel  and  the  city  waa  ordered  illu- 
minated on  the  nigbta  of  the  6tb,  7th  and  8th  of  December.  Cards 
of  Invitation  were  iftsned,  and  the  people  from  the  city  and  country 
wen'  invited  to  attend  the  inanguration  ceremonies  "dreAsod  as  de- 
cent as  possible,"  so  read  the  invitations. 

The  widow  Josefa  Alvarado's  lioasp,  the  finest  in  the  city,  was 
Hocured  for  the  Oovemor's  palacio  (palace.)    The  largest  ball  in  the 


PADO   LIBRE    PE   ALTA   CALITOBKU 


IM 


city  waa  secured  for  the  Berriees  and  '"decorated  aa  well  as  it  was 
l>oseible."  The  citj  treasury  being  in  its  usual  state  of  collapse,  a 
anhficription  for  defrajing  the  expenses  was  opened  and  lioraes, 
hidep  and  tallow,  the  current  coin  of  the  pueblo,  were  liberally  con- 
tributed. On  the  appoints  day  "The  Moat  Illustrious  Ayuntnniiento 
and  the  citizeog  of  the  neighborhood,"  so  the  old  archives  read,  *'met 
His  Excellency,  the  Governor,  Don  Carlos  Carrillo,  who  made  his 
appearance  with  a  mAKoilicent  accompaniment. "  The  secretary, 
Nurciso  Botillo.  "read  In  a  loud,  clear  and  intelligible  voice  the  oath, 
and  the  Governor  repeated  it  after  him.'  At  the  moment  the  oath 
was  completed  the  artillery  thundered  forth  a  salute  and  the  beUa 
rang  out  a  merry  peal.  The  Governor  made  a  speech,  when  all  ad- 
journed to  the  church,  where  a  raosa  was  Boid  and  a  solemn  Te  Dttum 
sung;  after  which  the  citizens  repaired  to  the  house  of  Hia  Kicel- 
lenoy,  where  the  southern  patriots  drank  his  health  In  bumpers  of 
wine  and  shouted  themselves  hoarse  in  vivas  to  the  new  government. 
An  inauguration  ball  was  held.  The  "beauty  and  the  chivalry"  of 
the  south  were  gather  there,  "The  lamps  shone  o'er  fair  women  and 
brave  men,"  and  it  was 

^_  "On  with  the  dance!  Let  joy  be  nnconflned; 

^^H  No  sleep  till  morn  when  youth  and  pteflsurc  meet 

W  To  chase  the  glowing  hours  with  flying  feet." 

I  The  tallow  dips  flared  and    flickered    from  the    porticos  of  the 

I  boaees,  bonfires  blazed  in  the  streets,  and  the  big  cannon  boomed 
I  mItos  from  the  old  Plaza.  T^s  Angeles  was  the  capital  at  last,  and 
I        had  a  Governor  all  to  itself,  for  Banta    Barbara,  always  conaerra- 

1 tfve,  refused  to  recognize  Carrillo,  although  he  was  a  citizen  of  that 

^^ftplace.  The  Angelenos  determined  to  subjugate  the  Barbarefios.  An 
^^BTvay  of  ISO  men  under  Oasteflada  was  sent  to  capture  tholr  iMty. 
After  a  few  futile  demonstrations  CaateOada  fell  back  to  Ban  Buena- 
ventura. Then  Alvarndo  determined  to  punish  the  rocalcitrauls  of 
the  south.  Gathering  together  an  army  of  200  men  by  forced 
marches  he  and  Castro  reached  San  Bnenaventura  and  by  a  strate- 
gic movement  captured  all  of  Castenadn's  horses  and  drove  his 
army  into  the  Mission  Church.  For  two  days  the  battle  raged,  and 
rannon  to  the  right  of  them  and  cannon  in  front  of  thwn  at  long  In- 
tervals 'volleyed  and  thundered."  One  man  was  killed  on  the  north- 
em  side,  and  the  blood  of  several  mustangs  watered  the  soil  of  thwr 
native  land.    Indeed,  in  the  California    revolutions  the  bronco  was 


RiBTontcAL  Bocnrrr  or  soutbern  calitornu 


frequently  called  upoo  to  die  for  bin  country.  It  was  easier  for  the 
native  niarkmnnn  to  hit  the  horse  than  the  rider.  The  »oatbemera 
slipjied  out  of  the  church  at  night  aud  fled  up  the  valley  on  foot 
Kelt  day  Castro's  caballwos  captured  about  70  prisoners.  Pio  Hlco, 
with  reiaforceaieuls  from  San  0iego.  met  tlie  demoralized  remnant 
of  CasteAuda's  army  at  the  Santa  Clara  Hiver  and  the  southern 
army,  or  what  was  left  of  it,  fell  bock  to  Los  ADgele«.  Then  there 
was  wailinf!  in  the  old  pueblo,  where  so  lately  there  had  been  re- 
joicing, and  curses  not  loud  but  deep  against  Juan  liantista.  tiov. 
Carlos  Carrillo  gathon^  toj^ftther  what  men  be  could  get  to  go  with 
him  and  retreated  to  t^un  Diego.  Alvaradu's  army  took  possession 
of  the  southern  capital  and  some  of  the  leading  coDHpimtnrs  were 
sent  as  prisoners  to  Vellcjn's  basTila  at  Sonoma.  Carrilln  rf'<'fived 
a  small  reinforcement  from  Mexico  under  a  Capt.  Tobar.  Tobar  was 
made  general  and  given  command  of  the  Bouthern  army.  Carrillo, 
having  recovered  from  his  fright,  sent  an  order  to  the  northern  reb 
els  to  surrender  within  fifteen  days  under  the  penalty  of  being  shot 
as  traitors  if  they  refused. 

Instead  of  surrendering,  Cantro  and  .Mvarado,  with  a  force  of  200 
men,  advanced  agaioBt  C-arrillo.  The  two  armies  met  at  Campo  de 
Flores.  Uen.  Tobar  had  fortified  a  cattle  corral  with  rawhides, 
carretas  and  cottonwood  polos.  A  fi>w  shots  from  Alvarado's  artil- 
lery scattered  Tobar's  rawhide  fortifications  and  convinced  Carrillo 
of  the  error  of  his  ways.  lie  surrendered.  Gen.  Tobar  made  his 
escape  to  Mexico,  Alvarado  ordnrcd  the  mi.<tgnided  Angelefian  aol- 
diera  to  go  borne  and  behave  themtiolves,  and  brought  back  with 
him  their  captive  Oovemor;  but  unwilling  to  bnraiUate  him  by  tak- 
ing him  throdfih  his  fornu-r  capital.  Los  Angeles,  he  passed  through 
Sun  Gabriel,,  Han  Pasquul  and  the  Verdugos  and  thence  on  to  Car- 
rillo's  rancho,  near  Ventura,  where  he  left  him  in  charge  of  his 
(Carrillo'g)  wife,  who  became  surety  for  the  deposed  ruler.  Carrillo 
after  a  time  again  claimed  Uie  Govemorahip  on  the  plea  that  he, 
having  been  appointed  by  the  supreme  government,  was  the  only 
legal  Governor,  but  the  Angeleilos  bad  had  "too  much  Carrilo." 
Disgusted  with  his  incompetency,  Juan  Gallardo,  at  the  session  of 
May  14.  IS38,  presented  a  petition  praying  that  this  Aynntamiento 
do  not  recognize  Carlos  Carrillo  as  Governor  because  ho  had  re- 
cently "compromised  all  the  country  from  San  Buenaventura  south 
into  the  declaration  of  a  war  the  incalculabln  calamitiea  of  which 


I 

I 

I 


B8TADO  LIBBB   DB  ALTA   CALirORNIA 


will  ncTCr  be  forgotten  to  the  remoteat  ages,  not  even  bj  the  most 
J(j:norant.  Sev(?ntj  citizena  nigned  tlio  petiHou.  but  the  City  Attor- 
ney, who  had  done  time  in  Vallejo'H  bimtile,  dwided  the  petition  tl- 
le^al  because  it  waa  writteo  on  common  paper,  when  paper  with  the 
jiroper  seal  roiild  be  obtained.  Oiillnrdo  presented  his  petition  on 
legnl  paiHT  at  the  next  rocoling.  Thou  the  Ajuntamiento  decided  to 
Bound  the  public  alarm  and  call  the  people  together  to  give  them 
"public  Hpeeeh"  on  the  all  important  question.  The  publie  alurm 
was  eounded,  the  people  gathered  at  the  City  Hall,  speeches  «>«re 
made  on  both  sideK.  When  the  vote  was  taken  2Z  were  in  favor  of 
the  northern  Governor,  5  in  favor  of  whatever  Ihe  Ayuntamiento  de- 
cides, and  Sebulo  Veireles,  the  recalciti-ant  agitator  of  the  puoblo, 
atone  favored  CarlOB  Carrillo.  Bo  the  Council  derided  to  recosnls^ 
Don  Juan  Bautista  Alvarado  an  Governor  and  leave  the  anprcme 
government  to  settle  the  content  between  hiui  and  Carrillo. 

Not  with  standing  this  apparent  burying  of  the  hatchet  there  were 
n-mors  of  plots  and  intrigues  in  Txis  Anfrelea  jind  San  Diej^o  a^uinttt 
Alvarado.  At  length,  aggravated  beyond  endoranci^,  the  Oovernor 
wnt  word  to  the  sureQos  that  if  they  did  not  befaavc  themselves  he 
would  shoot  ten  of  the  leading  men  of  the  south  "fnll  of  targe  and 
irt-egular  holes,''  ur  words  to  lliat  efTect.  As  he  had  :iboiit  that 
number  locked  up  in  the  Castillo  at  Bononia,  his  was  no  idle  threat. 

His  threat  so  terrified  Ihe  deposed  (Jovernor,  Carloi*  "nnillo,  that 
be  took  to  sea  in  an  open  boat  with  three  of  his  retainers,  doubtless 
with  the  intention  of  escaping  to  Lower  California,  but  "nnmercifal 
disaster  followed  him  fast  and  followed  him  fuster."  He  was 
w  recked  the  first  day  out,  cast  ashore  on  the  Malibu  Coast,  and  com- 
pelled to  ignominiously  foot  it  home  to  his  wife,  who,  in  all  proha 
bility,  took  the  nonsense  out  of  him.  At  least  he  ga\e  Alvarado  no 
more  trouble. 

Ono  by  one  Alvarndo's  prisoners  of  state  were  released  from  Val- 
lejo  bastile  at  Sonoma  and  returned  to  the  old  pueblo  sadder  if  not 
»iBer  men.  At  the  session  of  the  Aynntaittieuto.  October  20,  1838, 
the  President  announced  that  thn  senior  regidcr,  Jos^  Palomares. 
had  returned  from  Sonoma,  where  he  had  been  compelled  to  go  by 
reason  of  "political  differences,"  and  that  he  should  be  allowed  his 
seat  in  the  Council.  It  was  granted  unanimously.  "Political  differ- 
ences" for  a  civil  war  is  as  good  a  term,  and  indeed  more  oxpivaslve, 
than  our  "late  unpleasantness."   At  the  next  session  of  the  Ayunta- 


in 


nwrouTAL  socnrrr  or  tormtsm  caxjkuuoa 


mlevtQ  Xuriao  Boteilo,  ita  former  aecreUr;.  after  fire  sad  a  half 
mmiThft'  im prison meot  at  Bonotna,  pot  in  an  appeacaftcc  and 
clainKd  hii  otBcr.  The  Counril  derided  that  aince  ha  had  beaa 
forced  to  be  absent  bj  circomstaAces  bejood  his  control,  he  had  not 
forfeit(>d  hia  aecreOUTahip.  Tban  Narciao  daiaaed  hia  hack  aalav^ 
for  the-  are  and  a  half  mooths  tbat  be  iraa  a  ptiaopw,  9XW  ia  alL 
The  demand  atrack  terror  into  tbe  bearta  of  the  refidoreai  The 
treaaory  ma  aopiT. 

The  last  hone  and  tbe  laat  bide  had  beea  paid  oat  to  defray  the 
tncpenaea  of  tbe  inangtuatiiio  fesriritiea  at  Carioa,  tbe  prerendtc,  and 
ot  die  riril  war  that  followed.  Indeed,  there  waa  a  treaaaiy  deAot 
at  what*  eabattadaa  of  honm  and  balea  of  hidea.  A  flnaaeia]  paale 
Ihreatenn]  the  old  poeblo  if  the  demand  waa  eaforced.  Bat  the  oU 
ragidarea  were  eqoal  to  the  emer^encj.  Tb«T  postpooed  action  and 
igfcaied  the  *aae  to  tbe  OoTeraor  to  deride.  He  derided  is  faror  of 
Xan-iao;  then  tt  went  to  committee  after  committee.  Tbe  eaaa  ia 
atill  pendiof;  in  tbe  Court  of  Claima  of  El  Eatado  Libre— at  leaat  I 
iaow  of  no  deeiakift. 

Tbe  sarefloa  of  Loe  Aaceica  aad  Baa  Dtegfli,  ftadiac  that  in  Alvm- 
rado  ther  had  a  man  at  coimrA  and  drtermiaafiaa  to  deal  with, 
sobmitied  to  tbe  ineritable  and  rt-ai^  from  traahUaf  hia.  He  waa 
hmted  to  riait  Laa  AaRelea  aad  peace  mm  man  rofaed  in  the  old 
pMbl«L  A  few  DMiBths  later  he  waa  coimiaaioDed  Oorenor  bj-  the 
aapiii|iw  goverameat.  El  Katado  Librv  de  California  waa  a  aation 
Bo  Bore.  Indeed.  Alramda  matha  before  bad  abandoaed  the  idea 
•I  iMiHUnp  a  new  natioa,  aad  had  aade  hia  peace  with  the  aaprcaae 
gVTcnaieBt  by  taking  tbe  oath  of  allfglaarf  to  the  Constit«t>oB  of 
ISM, 

Thaa  ended  OaliforvJa^  war  of  indepeadeace.  The  loTaliata  of 
California  receired  no  Aaakt  froo  Mexico  for  all  their 
of  loraltT.  while  the  lihiniaaa  Bflnheraci*  obtaiaed  aB 
the  teaaida — the  capital,  tbe  OB»er»ag  aad  the  aMeea.  The  aa- 
fffCBa  (Otenmeat  of  Mexico  gare  the  depoaed  Oovctaar*  C^ilaa 
OttiiDo,  a  fraar  of  the  ialaad  af  Santa  Roaa  in  the  Saala  Barfaaift 
Cfcaaael,  bat  whether  it  waa  Kirea  fate  as  a  aalre  to  hia  woaaded 
Ugaity  or  aa  an  Elba  or  St.  Beleaa.  where  ia  ereat  «f  hia  atirriac  mf 
■anthfr  revolntioo  AlTarado  migbt  ItaiJili  Um  a  la  ?iapoieoa,  ^m 
•nUtea  do  sot  talani  aa. 


REPORT  OF  THE  SECRETARY 


1898. 

To  the  Officer*  and  Hemben,  Hbtorlccl  Society  of  Soattaern  CtliforniA: 
1  beg  leave  to  sobmit  the  rollowlng  report — 

Nnmber  of  meetinga  held 8 

Kumber  of  papen  read 18 

Kttmberof  new  member*  elected « ..»«.............■* 7 

Titles  to  papers  prcjcntcd: 

JANUARY. 

I    Who  Were  the  Aboriginea  of  America Prof.  A.  E ,  Teres 

3    Iftla  de  Los  Maertoa Hia.  U.  Burtoa  WUUamaon 

Pebmary — No  meetloRheld. 
March — Held  in  Pasadena. 

3  Hufo  Reid  and  His  Indian  Wife,  Doaa  Victoria Lanra  B^ertaen  Kln^ 

4  BlSatado  Libre  de  Alia  Califoniia J.  U.  GainD 

APRIL. 

?    Steven  C.  Porter .....H.  D.  Barrows 
Cafntan  and  Tin  nn.Tjpet  of  Miialoa  Indian* Lmira  Svertaen  King 

7    Some  PamomsGold  Riulica ,, », .J.  M.  Goina 

MAY. 

How  a  Woman's  Wit  Saved  California Dr.  J.  D.  Moody 

John  G.  Nichols H-  I>.  Barrow* 

Jnoc — Held  hi  Pamdeaa. 
Key  Wert H.  U.  Uejrers 

OCTOBER. 
Pad6c  Coast  Wtcoveriw , A.  R.  Vecex 

NOVEMBER. 

Plnneer  Teachers  aod  their  Schools Laura  Evertsen  Ring 

A  Native  Califorian's  Story  ...H.  D.  Barrovs 

The  Brolution  of  the  Pueblo  de  Los  Angeles „ J.  H.  Goinn 

DECEMBER. 

My  TravpU  in  Switzerland .....Rev.  J.  Adam 

Coronado'B  Journey „., ..A.  E.  Yerex 

NotcB  on  San  GabHcl   Misrion Rev.  J.  Adam 

Rare  Books  in  Bishop  Mootgomery'a  Library ~ Rev.  J.  Adam 

The  sodely  conlinuea  tbi*  vear  the  publication  of  the  Pioneer  Re^istei.  Sere- 
nl  UofnaphlcBt  sketches,  read  before  the  Society  of  Pioneers,  appear  in  tbia  iasne. 
The  Society  of  Pionecra  takes  aoo  copies  of  onr  Annnal,  (or  dJslriMition  among  Its 
BKSibcn.  J.  U.  Gvnm.  SKretary, 


PIONEER  REGISTER 


Pioneers  of  Los  Angeles  County 


OFFICERS  OF  THE  SOCIETY 

1898-99. 

BOARD   OF  OIBKTTOBS. 
WU.   H.    WORKUAM,  J.  W.   OlLLBTTS, 

H.  D.  Bahhowb,  J.  H.  tiuiHN, 

B.  S.  Baton,  M.  Khkueh, 

LOUIB   RnKDCR. 

OFFTCERS, 

Wm.  H.  Workman..... ^ Preeident 

H.  D.  Barrows     First  Vice  PreBJdent 

M.  KRirMER Second  Vice-President 

Louis  Roei'ER Tre*  curer 

J.  M.  GujNN SeoreUrj 

oomottkb  on  ueubbrship. 
August  Schmidt,        M.  F.  Qoinn,        Matrew  Tesd. 

comhitteb  on  finance. 
Gbo.  W.  Hazard,        C.  N.  Wilson,       Joel  B.  Pabkeb. 

comutttrk  on  utebart  exercisia, 

H.  D.  Barhows,         J.  M.  GuiNN,        J.  W.  Gillette, 
H.  F.  QuiNH,  Mrs.  Elhiba  T.  Stephens. 

cotfHirrEE  ON  Mcnc 

Loms  RoRDFR,        J.  C.  DoTFER,       B.  S.  Eaton, 
M.  Kreueb,  Mrs.  S.  C.  Yarnbll. 


178 


nilTTORICAL  SOCIETY   OP   WOTHEan    OAUFQRMlA 


Week*,  a  Congregational  miniHter,  and  bis  wife.  Afterwards  the 
pi:bUc  Kbools  w«e  organUed,  and  Mr.  NicbolB  and  John  O.  WTieelur 
Kurt  elected  frtJgtws,  and  tliey  tmlU  the  flret  two  twostory  brick 
mUiuolhuuHea,  the  ooe  long  known  as  the  Bath-street  Scboothouae, 
and  the  other,  which  stood  on  the  site  of  the  present  Bryson  Ulnrk, 
a  rner  of  Bpriug  and  Second  Rtreets,  both  of  which  for  so  ntans 
M'iira  were  familiar  landmarks,  and  centers  of  our  city  edncatlonal 
interests,  but  which  have  been  since  dAmoHshpd. 

Mr.  Nichols  says  he  bnilt  in  1854  the  flrst  brick  dwelling  boniK 
in  Los  Angeles,  namely  bis  twostory  residence  on  the  west  side  of 
Main  street,  next  sonth  of  the  present  site  of  the  Bullard  Block. 
He  says  he  paid  tbe  mak^tr  of  the  bricks.  Capt.  Jesse  Hunter,  $30 
per  thousand  for  them.  Capt.  Hunter  bnilt  another  brick  boose, 
which  is  still  standing,  adjoining  the  residence  of  the  late  Got. 
l>owney.  Capt.  Hunter^s  brick  kiln  was  somewhere  in  the  rear  of 
the  present  Potomac  Block,  n^ar  the  foot  of  the  hills. 

Mr.  Nichols,  during  his  iiu-inuboncy  as  Mayor,  inaugurated  the 
plan  of  granting  wbat  were  known  aa  "donation  lots"  to  actual 
aettlers  on  the  Fueblo  vacant  lands.  It  was  on  bis  ofQcial  recom- 
mendation that  the  Common  Council  authorized  Maj.  Henry  Han- 
cock to  subdivide  these  lauda  outside  of  Ord's  Survey,  into  35-acre 
lota;  and  that  In  order  to  secure  the  actual  settlement  and  improve- 
nient  of  these  unoccupied  cily  lands,  they  should  be  donated  to  any 
pci'son  who  would  go  u|h>u  them  and  make  improvements  to  the 
extent  of  two  hundred  dollars. 

While  he  was  Mayor,  Mr.  Nichols  strongly  (though  unsacceas- 
fnlly)  urged  the  Council  to  adopt  the  scheme  of  bringing  the  water 
from  np  the  river  to  the  top  of  Fort  Hill  to  a  reservoir  for  the  sup- 
ply of  the  city  for  domestic  use  and  the  extinguishment  of  Area  by 
gravity,  etc.  Afterward  a  company,  known  ns  the  Canal  and  Ilea* 
ervoir  Company,  took  up  the  idea,  and,  going  well  up  the  river, 
brought  the  water  over  the  hills  to  reservoirs  within  the  city  for 
Irrigation, 

After  1^62  Mr.  Nichols  turned  his  attention  to  farming  and  to 
miniDg.  etc. 

A  son  of  Mr.  Nichols.  John  Gregg,  Jr.,  was  the  first  American 
child  bom  in  l-os  Angeles,  i.e.,  whose  parents  were  both  Ameri- 
cans.   The  date  of  this  youngster's  birlh  was  April  24,  18ol. 

Mr.  Nichols  remembered  well  a  striking  saying  of  Wm.  H.  Sew- 


I 


BtOQRAPniCAL  SKETCHES 


179 


ard,  the  grnftt  Secretary,  which  he  mudc  when  he  viRited  Lob  An- 
geles BOOD  after  the  close  of  the  war,  and  which  he  ha^  never  seen 

pabliahed.  It  was  uttered  at  a  dinner  tendered  to  Mr.  Soward  at 
the  Bella  Union  Hotel,  then  the  leading  inn  of  Lo8  Aagelea,  but 
which  is  now  known  as  the  Ht.  Charle«.  After  he  had  enlo^zed 
California,  and  especiallj  Southern  California,  very  highly,  saying 
U  had  a  bright  future,  etc.,  some  one  observed  "but  we  very  much 
FIVK  HISTORY  CBECIO 

need  a  railroad."  Mr.  Beward  replied:  "He  patient,  you  will  soon 
have  four  railroads,  one  by  the  soutbem  route,  one  by  the  3uth  par- 
allel, one  by  the  central  roote  and  one  by  the  northern  route." 
Ah  Mr.  Nichols  said:  "How  literally  this  prophecy  baa  come  true." 
Daring  the  last  few  years  Mr.  Nichols  has  resided  with  bis  sun 
in  this  city,  enjoying,  notwithstanding  his  great  age,  fair  health 
and  a  clear  intellect,  almost  to  the  last.  He  died  January  22,  1898, 
at  the  age  of  S5  years.    Mrs.  Nichols  died  May  31,  1878. 


STEPHEN  C.  FOSTER, 


BY  H.  D.  BARROWS. 

(Read  April  4,  1898.) 

Away  back  in  December,  1863,  Mr.  Postor,  at  my  request,  gave 
me  a  brief  sketch,  both  of  his  own  life  and  of  his  brother  inlaw  by 
marriage,  Col.  Isaac  Williams  of  Kl  Rancho  del  Ohino.  And  again 
in  November,  18t)G,  he  gave  me  fuller  details  relating  to  himself,  to- 
gether with  some  account  of  the  early  Alcaldes  and  Mayors  of  Ix)« 
Angeles  who  preceded  him  and  who  succeeded  him  as  the  chief  ex- 
ecutive officers  of  our  city  during  that  period. 

I  hope  to  be  able  to  give  some  account  of  these  latter  official*  as 
rocouuted  by  Mr.  Foster,  in  a  future  paper.  Mr.  Foster  had  a  won- 
derfully retentive  memory,  of  the  minoteet  details  of  life  in  Califor- 
nia 50  years  ago.  More  than  that,  being  an  educated  man.  and 
having  an  eye  for  the  picturesque,  his  description  of  events  and 
persons,  and  of  manners  and  customs  of  the  {tastoral  i)eriod  of  Cal- 
ifomiH  history  possesses  a  ite<*uliar  charm.  And  above  all,  the 
kindly,  sympathetic  spirit  towards  the  Spaniab'Si>eaking  Caltfor- 
nidns  and  others  of  the  olden  times  which  pervaded  all  that  he 
wrote  or  said  concerning  them,  is  worthy  of  unreserved  comiuenda- 


itrflMBed  te  oar  — iJitj  hj  Mr.  FoKer  aad  p«b- 
lii*^  n  Mr  AuMl  tar  U87.  ortMtod  'TW  BwbeM  EcBtvckr  Ffo- 
w«n  of  Lm  AagOt^r  nd  'Vr  ^na  Pi»m<u«  to  Lm  Aagelc^ 
Mmr^  1<.  1647."  Abo  n  other  wntiiipi  of  his  m  qmoteA  n  mmt 
«MHl«l  UM,iBth*afccteha«Doa  Astaaao  JL  L^gs. 

Mr.  Footer  «a«  hora  is  Eaot  Karhisa,  WMUagCoa  (ovatv.  Xalaci, 
IVmber  17.  1£S0,  of  Kaglwh  aaccatr;.  He  was  educated,  tm  ia 
ih«  distTiet  odool.  aad  thea  at  WMUactoa  Afidfy:  sad  he  em- 
tnvd  Tale  College  !a  ISM.  giadaatfag  ia  Ae  elOH  of  ISM,  after 
«U^  be  taoght  orbool  aearty  foor  war*  la  Vir|:uua  and  AlatMoaa. 

Id  1M3  be  weat  to  New  Orleaaa  and  attended  lertarm  at  the  Ijam- 
Waaa  UcAcal  Cotlece.  la  '44  he  weat  tm  JaehaM  canty.  Ml* 
•onl,  where  be  |i»aetted  aadiclw  with  a  Dr.  Barlaa. 

Ia  IMS  be  craoaed  the  plaiaa  to  teaU  ¥4^  V.  It.  ia  eooipay 
with  aa  Iriab  odioobaaater  br  the  aaaw  oC  A.  J.  Uvrphj.  wHh  a 
tmall  laroice  of  p>oda.  Ia  October.  1845,  be  oold  oot  to  llarphy, 
and  started  for  Califoniia.  by  waj  of  Chlhoahaa  ftttd  SoBora.  Ob 
hia  arrfral  at  Opoavfrn.  the  eewa  was  raceiTed  ol  the  breakiBC  i>at 
of  the  Mexican  war.  He  renamed  there  till  Jose,  184f.  beiB^  aa- 
sbla  to  find  any  portr  coming  to  CaJiforaia;  lor  ft  waa  oat  of  the 
<iafstJOD  for  him  to  undertake  ibe  jooraej  alone. 

Be  thea  rrtnraed  to  Baata  F£,  in  company  with  a  aiaa  and  bis 
wife  aawied  Kcaoedj.  from  Lowrll.  Mass.  Keaaedj  bad  cfaargo  vt 
the  potting  ap  aad  keeping  in  order  of  the  akaehiaery  of  a  cottwa 
mill  at  San  Mifvel,  near  HermoaUlo.  and  Mrs.  Kenoedy  had  chains 
ot  the  girU  who  worked  in  the  factory.  Kennedy  and  wife  were 
going  home  by  way  of  Bants  F^. 

Boon  after  Mr.  Foster  aad  his  party  reached  SanU  F^,  the 
American  military  forr<e»  under  Gem.  t^  W.  KeameT  arrived  there, 
(Angnst,  '46.)  Mr.  Foster  obtained  employment  as  clerk  in  a  store 
uatil  the  month  of  October.  Aboot  that  time  the  "Monnoo  Bat- 
talion" of  infantry.  500  strong,  ander  Lieut.  A.  J.  Smith,  was 
fnnm^  Mr.  Foster  was  employed  a«  interpreter  of  this  force,  of 
whieh  Lip^nt.-Tol.  Philip  8t.  George  Cooke  then  aaeomed  conuutnd. 

The  bsttatiuD  set  oat  for  San  Die^  by  way  of  the  onaetUed  par 
tioss  of  Cbibnahaa  and  Sonora,  (dow  Ariiona.)    The    only  towaa 


BIOORAPBICAI,  SEBTCBEB 


181 


tbej  passed  between  the  Itio  Grande    and  the  Pacific  Ocean  were 
Tucson  and  the  Pima  villageB. 

The  jonrnev  wa8  attiuided  with  many  burdships,  including  short 
rfiiiODfl;  for  the  batrnlion  was  only  provisioned  for  aixty  days, 
whereas  the  journey  consumed  110  days. 

The  force  arrived  at  Han  Diego  about  the  20th  of  January,  1847. 
From  there  they  wera  ordered  to  San  Luis  Rey,  where  they  occu 
pied  the  Misston  buildings,  which  were  In  much  better  condition 
than  those  of  the  Mission  of  i^an  Diego. 

The  command  reached  Los  Angeles  Mareh  14i,  IH47.  It  marched 
into  the  city  on  the  day  of  th*'  fnnftrnl  of  SefSora  Sancher,  wife  of 
Pedro  Sanchez,  and  mother  of  Tomns  A.  PanchMt,  whom  many  of 
our  older  citizens  still  well  remember 

As  Mr.  Foster  nnderstood  the  Spanish  language  well,  he  imme- 
diately and  for  many  years,  took  a  prominent  part  in  public  affairs, 
both  as  a  private  citizen  ajid  in  various  official  positions. 

He  was  appointed  Alcalde  of  this  city  January  1,  1848,  by  the 
uiilitary  Governor  of  the  Territory,  Col.  R.  It.  Mason,  and  served 
in  that  capacity  and  as  interpreter,  until  May  17.  1849.  On  the  3rd 
of  June  of  this  year  Qov.  Uiley.  under  instructions  from  Washing- 
ton, issued  a  proclamation  to  the  people  of  California  to  elect  del- 
egates, to  meet  at  Monterey  Sept.  1,  1849.  to  form  a  State  Consti- 
tution; and  Capt.  H.  W.  Ualleck,  captain  of  engineers,  U.S.A.,  and 
Secretary  of  State,  wrote  to  Mr.  Foster,  reqnesting  him  to  use  his 
inOuence  to  have  the  people  of  the  Los  Angeles  diHtrlct  bold  an 
eb>ction  of  delegates,  to  represent  them  in  the  convention. 

The  election  was  duly  held,  and  Abel  Steams,  Manuel  Domin- 
giiez,  P*^ro  O.  Carrillo,  S.  0.  Poster  and  Hugo  Reid.  natives,  re- 
hpectively,  of  Hassacbasetts,  California,  Maine  and  Scotland,  were 
rhosen,  and  at  the  appointed  time  they  were  on  hand,  and  assisted 
in  forming  a  Constitution,  under  which  California  was  rescued  al- 
uioHt  from  a  state  of  anarchy,  incident  to  a  change  of  government 
and  the  derangement  caused  by  the  wonderful  gold  disooverieB 
lliat  occurred  immediately  thereafter,  and  under  which  she  pros- 
l»ered  for  nearly  thirty  years. 

Mr.  Foster,  In  the  Evening  Exprese  of  March  8.  1878,  gave  an 
exceedingly  Interesting  and  pietureBiine  account  of  how  be  helped 
to  make  the  Constitotion  of  California  and  of  bis  journey  to  Mont- 


HI9T0&ICAL  soamr  op  kidthebii  caufobhu 


trey,  etc.,  wbicb  I  Iiope  to  read  some  day,  before  this  society. 

Of  connK',  bin  nenrirea  came  to  be  very  raloable  to  the  commit 
nity  in  tbcMo  early  jfan  iniiiK-dialely  after  the  change  of  govern- 
nii'Dt,  wben  a  liirge  proportlim  of  the  p4>ople  of  tbln  city  and  sec- 
tion spoke  only  tbe  Spanitih  lanpunp*')  and  wboae  lawa  and  aoclcot 
arcbiv^-s  wen^  almoxt  wholly  in  rhat  laiieuafCe.  and  iJierefore  inac- 
CfMible  to  tbe  aewly  arrived  KDijIinb-speaking  «ettlere.  Nr,  Poster 
ik'rved  ftji  Htate  Senator  during  1861-*53,  and  wae  twice  elected 
Mayor  of  I..08  Ani^eles,  in  IS54  and  in  ISoO.  bnt  resigned  in  Septem- 
ber of  the  latter  year  to  take  cbarge  of  the  estate  of  bis  brotber-in- 
law,  Col.  Uaac  WtlliamB  of  El  Cbino  Kancho,  who  bad  just  died. 

AuKUBt  ly.  IWH.  .Vr.  Foster  was  married  to  Dofia  Maria  Merced, 
diiu^Lter  of  Hon  Antonio  Maria  LaRo,  and  widow  of  Jos^  Perei- 
Prom  tbid  marriago  Are  rbildren  were  tmm,  three  of  whom  died  tn 
Infancy  and  two  sons  are  now  UviDg. 

Mr.  Foster  wan  in  bis  78tb  year  at  the  time  of  his  death,  which 
Orcurred  iu  this  city  on  the  28th  of  Jannary,  189S. 

Durinif  the  latter  years  of  his  life  be  wna  quite  infirm,  althoagb 
he  was  able  to  walk  about,  and  bis  bent,  vennrahle  flgnre  was  fa- 
miliar to  many  of  oar  ettixens.  While  his  wife,  who  is  one  of  tbe 
kindest-hearted  and  most  sympathetic  of  women,  and  faifi  dutiful 
sons,  would  have  been  deligbtod  to  have  lind  bim  remain  at  their 
home  at  Ban  Antonio  on  the  San  Gabriel  River,  where  they  conid 
bare  ministered  to  bis  wants  in  his  old  age,  he  seemivl  to  prefer 
nfthont  any  quarrel  or  real  cause  of  dissatisfaction  with  them  or 
anybody,  so  far  as  1  ran  learn,  to  live  tn  town  rather  than  out  in 
the  country.  He  had  lived  so  long  in  the  thick  of  activo  life  in  th*> 
city  that  It  apparently  became  irksome  to  him  tn  pass  his  time  Id 
llie  quietude  and  isolation  and  monotony  of  raucfa  life.  H<s  int< 
mate  acquaintance  with  the  old  Spanish  archives  of  the  Paeblo. 
snd  with  old  land  titles,  ennbh^il  him  to  earn  a  small  stipend  f'xitn 
title  searchers,  and  thus  modestly  maintain  himself  and  at  the 
snroe  time  gratify  his  liking  for  city  life  in  preference  to  the  mo- 
nctooy  of  life  in  the  country. 

Liko  Hugo  Reid,  the  pioneer  of  Ran  Gabriel,  Stephen  C.  Foster, 
wan  in  many  respects  a  remarkable  man.  Both  these  men  were 
scholars,  and  scholars  who  spend  their  lives  on  the  frontier  are 
likely  to  develop  peculiarities.     While  twtb  were  genial  and  "oor- 


I 

I 


BIOORAPmOAL   !<RETriTIS 

rieote,"  as  tbe  Spaniab  say,  with  their  intimates,  thej  were  In- 
Ldined  to  reticence  towards  ulrangers  and  towards  tbe  world  iu  geo- 
*6ral.  From  tbie  cause  probabl.v  thcjr  acquired  tbe  reputatiun  with 
wime  people  of  being  eccentric.  With  Bcbolarly  instioctB,  the,v  may 
be  Raid  to  bnve  lived  lives  apart  from  tbeir  ordinary  outwurd  lives. 
att  neen  in  tbeir  intercuor»e  with  tbeir  fellows.  I  think  this  view 
accounts  sufflciently  for  any  eccentricities  they  may  have  seemod 
to  exhibit. 


MKMOKIAL  SKETCH  OF  DR.  JOHN  S.  GUIFFIN^ 

BY  H.  D.  BAEKOWS. 

Another  good  man  is  gone.  Dr.  John  Strother  Griffin,  for  many 
years  nn  eminent  physician  and  Borgeon  of  Los  Angeles  and  a  pio- 
neer of  lSi6,  died  August  23,  1S98,  at  bis  home  in  East  Los  Ange- 
les, at  the  advanced  age  of  8'2  years,  nearly  50  of  which  were 
passed  in  this  city.  Ur.  Ciriffin  was  the  second  pioneer  educated 
physician  to  aiTive  in  Los  Angeles,  Dr.  Kicbard  Den,  who  came 
in  1843,  being  the  tlrst.  Both  of  these  doctors  being  men  of  high 
personal  character,  as  well  as  skilled  in  their  profeRslon,  were  nat- 
urally esteemed  most  highly,  both  by  the  native  Californians  and 
by  tbe  foreigners  who  settled  here  in  early  times;  for  the  eitensive 
demand  for  tbeir  professional  services  caused  them  to  be  widely 
known  throughout  Southern  California.  For  many  years,  or  till 
tb«  inarmitles  of  age  compelled  him  to  withdraw  from  active  prac- 
tice. Dr.  Griffin  Btood  among  the  very  foremost  physicians  and  sur- 
geons of  Los  Angeles  and  of  California,  and  as  a  citizen  his  stand- 
ing was  no  less  prominent.  He  more  than  any  other  one  was  tbe 
father  of  East  Los  Angeles.  lie  was  one  of  (he  original  incurpo- 
rntors  and  a  stockholder  of  both  the  Im»  .Angeles  City  Water  Co. 
and  the  Farmers'  and  Merchants'  Bank. 

When  this  cUy  and  section  were  terrorized  by  an  organize  ban- 
ditti which  killed  ^heri0  James  it.  Barton  and  party  in  January, 
1.S57,  and  the  city  was  placed  under  quasi  martial  law,  Dr.  Orlffin  by 
gf-DPrnl  consent  was  placed  at  tbe  head  of  the  semi-military  defensive 
or^anir^itiun  of  our  citizens. 

On  his  social  side  Dr.  Griffin  was  one  of  tbe  most  genial  of  men. 
Ho  comforted  and  consoled  his  patirnia,  as  well  as  cured  their  phys- 
ical ailments,  when  they  were  curable.    Many  of  the  older  pioneers 


wW  liTvri  Wn  is  the 

the  Mvfid  sie  Ml  al««7«  ^^^  <«  f^P  t^** 
—111!  aata  IM  lato  V  ntil  tbr  cxws  ;n«f  ikAt 

Ifcii  *■—  Mthumnmnti  Tlrjiiilii  ^p  "■rnrrfrtri  iiThr  itiif  tmiiT 
■fckfc  Uhe7  esBBOt  take  with  tbctt  eitbcr  iat*  tke  tnw*  or  lato  aa- 
■tber  world;  aad  acglect  m  good  mamt    «alj  to    l«ttn  vhea  com- 
peUcd  to  Bake  tkdr  exit,  that  thry  ha««  aof    er  oalj  the  haUoir 
■Mik  of  a  fpni  aaae,  to  lesvc  bcMsd  ttc^ 

cickt  «r  niaa  jeara  ac*  the  vriter  af  tbeae  Kaca  took  d»n 

Dr.  OffiBa'a  owv  ^la  asMa  aatea  af  Ua  lifa  vUck  wefc  pa^ 
aiih  a  flae  tipple  atael    oaigTBTing.  La  tbe 
tory  of  Lea  Aaplea  Cswaty.    A  fra  aaliaal  farfa 
ttat  iteteh  mmj  aoc  b«  wtthovt  totcrot  ia  tUa 

Dr.  GrilBa  was  bora  at  Ftocaatle.  Virpaia.  ia  ISlC    Hia  Cather, 
Joha  GacwH]  Grifln.  who  di«d  ia  1AS3.  was  a  aativc  M 
aa  waa  hia  father  bcforv  him.    Hia  Mattn.  Mar?  Baaeodt,    i 
daaghtcr  of  Otafgi  aad  Marcant  (BtrodHr)  naainrfc,  both  of 
iMrt  Virsiaia  Ciai&iL    8he  died  ia  183& 

BoBf  thaa  deprived  af  both  hia  parcato  ia  earlj  boyhood,  be 
to  Loaaarille,  K;.,  where  he  tired  aatil  nataritr  with  hia  Bntemal 
aad^  Oeorce  llaaiaifc,  who  fare  hia  a  rIaMiral  edaeatioR.  1b 
IRT  he  waa  gradaaled  rrov  the  aiedlcaJ  departmeat  at  the  Vm- 
TrraitT  of  PeaaajlTaaia.  after  which  fae  praetked  hm  piirftaiioo  «t 
LoaiBfiile  natil  1S40.  wIub  he  eatered  the  Falted  Stotea  anaj  aa 
•HiMaat  soYiB^oa  and  serred  as  eoeh  ander  Gen.  Worth  ia  Florida, 
and  at  Fort  Gibaoa  on  the  eonthwen  fraatier.  In  1S4«,  betoc  at- 
tacted  to  the  Atwit  of  the  B'est  nader  Gea.  Keaxay.  with  raak  of 
captoia,  he  pruuenltj  to  Santo  V€  with  the  iiaiiaHiiil.  whieh  aet 
out  from  this  pUre  in  September  for  Califcffwia.  arririag  at  the 
river  Colorado  in  yovevibtw.  and  at  Wararr'a  Raneh,  ia  what  te  aow 
Baa  Dfege  coonty.  CaU  Dec.  3.  iRtft.  Dec.  fi.  the  battle  8aa  Paa- 
qaal  waa  foaq^t  with  the  Mexican  foreea.  and  ob  the  10th  the 
wwuiaand.  with  Us  wnoaded.  arrired  at  San  Diego,  when  COmmo- 
daea  Blockton  with  hia  aqaadioa  had  arriTed  a  abort  tiae  before 


I 


BIOORAPUICAL   SKETCHES 


186 


On  die  Ist  of  tlanuarj,  1K17,  the  two  commands,  being  united,  witb 
Dr.  Qriffln,  the  doctor  as  ranking  medical  officer,  set  out  for  Los 
Angfles. 

On  the  8tb  the  Americana  met  and  repnlHed  the  Mtixlcan  forces 
at  the  San  Gabriel  River,  and  crossed  that  stream  some  ten  milee 
southeast  of  Los  Angelas;  and  on  the  9tb  another  engagement  took 
plate  at  La  Mesa,  and  on  the  Kith  they  took  possession  of  Los  An- 
geles, which  then  contained  a  population  of  only  3000  or  4000  souls. 

About  the  I2tli  or  IHth  of  Jan.  Oen.  Fremont's  forces  arrived  at 
Los  Augelf«  from  tlie  north.  Gen.  Kearny's  command  was  trans 
ferred  to  San  Diego,  wbere  Dr.  Griffin  was  given  charge  of  the  gen 
eral  ho8i>ital. 

In  May,  1847,  he  was  ordered  to  report  for  duty  at  Tjob  Angeles, 
undor  Col.  3.  D.  Stevenson,  where  he  remained  a  year,  when  he  was 
transferred  to  the  staff  as  medtral  officer  of  Gen.  Persifer  V.  Smith. 
From  ISuO  to  '53  he  was  stationed  at  Benicia;  he  was  then  ordered 
to  accompany  Maj.  Heintzelman  in  an  cccpedition  from  San  Diego 
against  the  Yuma  Indians  on  the  Colorado  River;  after  which  he 
rc'tnrned  to  duty  at  Benicia-  In  '53  he  was  ordered  to  report  for 
doty  at  Washington,  D.  C,  where  be  rMnained  till  1834,  when  he 
reigned  his  commission  in  the  army  and  returned  to  California, 
and  permanently  located  at  Los  Angeles,  where  be  reisided  till  his 
death. 

In  185G  Dr.  Griffin  was  married  to  Miss  Lonina  Ilajs,  native  of 
Maryland,  sister  of  Judge  Beujamiu  Hajs,  an  historical  character  of 
Bontbem  California.    Hhe  died  May  '2, 1888.  at  the  age  ot  sixty-seven. 

Gen,  Albert  Kidney  .lobnston  married  a  sister  of  Dr.  Oriffln. 
After  hisdeath  at  tlie  battle  of  Hbiloh  Mrs.  Johnston  resided  for  many 
years  and  until  her  death  recently,  with  her  brother  and  children 
In  this  city,  where  iihe  was  universally  held  in  the  highest  eatima^ 

tiOB. 


186 


nmoucAL  toemrt  or  MicTRXut  cAurousru. 


HENBV  CLAY  WILEY. 

Dr.  J.  0.  Fletcher,  a  gradnato  of  Brown  rniTeraity  in  1M6.  and 
for  tamay  yvan  a  n«)dpnt  of  Rio  He  Janeiro  and  uf  Xaples,  Italy^ 
bvt  DOW  a  rilbcea  of  Los  Angelm,  coniribotes  the  follawine  data 
cooceminK  Mr.  Wilpj'ti  bojbood.    He  anym: 

"Mj  pttriii'Ht  rec-oltei-iions  of  bim  were  id  the  thirties,  aboat  1833. 
Hi*  was  a  Kmall  bo,v  when  his  father  came  to  ladionapolu.  Bis 
father  was  a  nKTclmnt  tailor,  and  he  was  a  fine-lookiBg  man.  I 
WHnt  to  Kchnol  with  two  of  Henry's  brothers.  His  eldest  brother 
was  a  man  of  fine  parts,  and  a  well  known  citizen  (now  d«c«ftsed) 
of  Indianaimlin,  wbone  daofchter  married  the  son  of  Got.  Wright  of 
Indiana.  The  nert  older  brother,  James,  entered  the  narjr;  and  I 
last  saw  him  as  an  officor.  in  li^SS,  on  the  C  8.  steam  man-of-war 
Raranac  at  Rio  de  Janeiro.  Brasil.  lie  was  distin^i«hed  as  a  good 
ofTlcer  and  a  fine,  benerolent  man. 

"Wben  in  181)0  I  came  to  Los  .:VDgeles,  one  of  the  first  persons  to 
gn-et  me  was  H.  C.  Wilor,  and  never  did  I  have  more  cordial  greet- 
ing or,  afterward,  more  kinrllT  treatment. 

''As  Henry  C.  Wiloj  was  contemporarj-  with  my  younger  broth- 
ers, I  did  not  see  so  much  of  bim  in  his  boyhood  days  as  I  did  of 
his  elder  brothers  with  wliom  I  went  to  school." 

or  bis  later  years.  J.  F.  Iturns,  an  early  pioneer  of  Los  Angeles, 
says: 

"Henry  C.  Wiley,  a  member  of  this  society,  passed  away  an 
Toesday,  Oftol>er  25.  IS98,  wUirh  takes  away  another  of  the  old 
pioneers  of  Southt'm  California  who  lived  nearly  half  a  centnry 
of  his  allotted  69  years  in  this  sun  kissed  country.  He  waa  bom 
in  Lancaster,  PennsylTania,  in  1S29;  liere,  and  later  at  Indianapo- 
lis, he  received  a  liberal  education,  when,  at  the  age  of  18  years, 
be  joined  the  commif>s.iry  dc^partment  of  tlie  Tnited  8tates  army  in 
the  campaign  tigainst  Mexico;  and  be  faithfully  serred  his  country 
tiotil  the  rlose  of  the  Mexican  war.  leaving  the  array,  he  resided 
and  traveled  in  all  tbo  coast  States  of  Mexico,  till  1852.  when  be 
arrived  at  Kan  Diego,  Cal.,  where  he  resided  daring  the  Sft's.  He 
was  elected  and  serred  ns  Sheriff  of  said  connty,  with  ability  and 
honorably  discharged  the  duties  of  bjfi  office.  In  tbe  Go's,  after  his 
term  expired,  he  removed  to  Los  .\ngelca  connty,  where  he  permn 
nently  settled.    He  soon  became  noted  among  his  friends  for    his 


BIOaRAPRtCAL  SKRTCRRB 

traits  of  trne  friendship,  frankness  and  liberality.  He  loved  out* 
door  active  life  and  sports,  and  wns  a  generou!^  givpr  to  tlie  needy. 
In  1868  to  1872  he>  was  ITndert^herilT,  serving  with  .J.  F.  liorns, 
Sheriff  of  this  county.  In  the  discljarge  of  his  official  duties  be  was 
brave  and  fearless,  just  and  Ki-ueroiis.  In  ISi'i  Mr.  Wiley  formed 
a  partnership  with  l>.  M.  lierry  in  the  real-estate  business;  and 
thoy  were  the  resident  ai^ents  for  the  "Indiana  Colony,"  now  I'asa- 
dena,  "The  Crown  of  the  A'alley."  TIirouRb  their  energy  and  ac- 
tivity and  foresight  they  laid  the  foundation  of  the  fairest  city  in 
oor  land.  Mr.  Wiley  was  always  a  consistent  Kepublicau  iu  poli- 
tics, and  ever  ready  to  rendor  valuable  service  to  hiH  party  .  He 
was  one  of  the  pioneers  who  from  the  tirst  saw  that  Los  Angelea 
would  be  a  great  city,  and  was  a  judicious  investor  iu  Lott  Angelea 
realties. 

"He  leaves  a  devoted  widow  and  two  daugliterH  to  mourn  his  de- 
mise. He  wa«  kind  in  word  and  manner  nJid  gnintnl  a  wide  circle  of 
friends  and  very  few,  if  any.  enemies." 


HOKACE  HIIXER. 

(R«id  before  Tioneer  Society  June  7.  1898.) 

Since  the  last  stnted  nieetiug  of  our  Pioneer  Society  an  honored 
charter  niomber  ba.'i  pasHed  away.  It  Ih  fitting  that  a  brief  memo- 
rial HUetcb  of  \i\a  life  uboutd  be  placed  anion)f  tbo  records  of  the 
society. 

Horace  Hiller  waa  a  native  of  HTrdson.  Xew  York.  He  was 
bom  in  1844.  and  wa.s  Ibe  r«u  of  Henry  and  Henrietta  Wiuaus 
Hiller.  He  came  to  Los  Angelea  by  rail  via  tho  sonlhem  route  in 
1870.  He  was  enRafred  in  the  lumber  busiuess  duririg  all  bis  resi- 
dence in  Loa  Angeles;  at  the  lime  of  bis  deulh  lie  waa  ilie  president 
aud  manager  of  the  Los  An|;eteB  Lumber  Company. 

In  1807  he  wuh  married  lo  Mimh  .\bby  Pearce;  she  wiih  three 
children,  one  daugbter  and  two  souk,  survive  Mr.  Hiller.  He  left 
two  living  brothers;  one.  Sidney  Hiller.  sncceeds  his  Itrother  aa 
manager  of  the  lumber  company,  and  the  other,  Henry,  Eb  now  in 
St.  Petersburg,  Kussia. 

Horace  Hiller  was  a  man  of  sterling  character,  aa  all  you  who 
knew  him  well  can  testify.  Though  he  was  modest  and  quiet  in 
bih  ways,  he  bad  strong  convictions,  to  which  he  was  thoroughly 


188 


mnoucu.  woevtn  or  ■oerHnuc  caufobxxa 


loT»l :  be  va»  ft  man  of  fine-  bn^aoB  habttB  and  won  tb»  ropect 
Uic  rommanltj  ftnd  of  all  with  vboin  he    had     dealms&.     He 
^Knided  to  ail  the  manifold  daties  af  |tood  citizeBsbip,  and  is  Ui 
llemiae  be  (•  aiorerely  monraod  hy  a  vide  rirrle  of  fiieada- 

Bia  death  occorred  as  the  n«alt  of  a  lamentable  accideot.  May 
90,  1S& 


WILLIAM  BLVCKSTOSK  ABKRXETUV. 

William  BlaclLatone  AbemHhj,  aoa  of  Janes  R.  aad  Baai 
oetfajr.  was,  on  hia  father^  aide,  a  dirert  deareBdant  of  tfae 
bat  celebrated  Encli^  sor^aoa.  Dr.  Jofaa  AbemnhT,  ta  pnmt' 
wm}  and  on  the  mother's  of  the  preat  Eci:liA  aekolar,  John  Lo^a 
ma  father  wcat  whea  bat  a  bvr  to  MjMoari.  where  be  laid  oat  tlw 
town  of  Pmris  ia  Haaror  Oow  wboae  ctwwA  aad  |win,ii^  be  eaie 
follj  wmtebed  and  matenallT  aasisted.  Bere  be  taa^t  whwV 
atodicd  law  \in  which  be  wair  hiawi  If  ao  tborva^  that  be  «^  9m 
thf«e  coaseeatirv  lenM  »*«m  va  the  o»n  of  Cirrvit  Jodce^t  Hn 
too  be  eatabliabed  bla  Wae  aad  ralaed  a  larse  fiuailr  ««  cbildrea.  d 
wben  Wm.  B.  was  «ae.  Ola  btWr  ««•  McBtiflei  vHb  cbe  oJd-Hv 
Wblf  partr.  his  bt4M  la  Ita  jglailtJM  bcla«  sUua^  caaac^  to  praw 
itaelf  bj  wiicfc&  fieraml  aepa  riavva  eoaua^  iata  bis  pwa^Hwa  I? 
loberitaMV,  be,  sane  vmrs  befare  the  etril  war.  gan  tbeai  tUr 
mnaov. 

W.  R  Ahenethj  was  raised  ia  aa  Meal  bow;  oae  oC  a  twt  bapB 
tamilT.  snnoaaded  by  tbe  heat  aad  nasi  cahared 
nia  father  briae  a  "bora"  waiiiisa.  aad 
which  he  also  atadicd  to  tbe  Umit  of  M 
wen  Eiren  eiuj  pasaiUe  advaatace  ia  that  CrectM^, 


Ua 


tlenr"  thwe  will  spMh  in  ctai 


•rtVfr 


eaXlj  aad  iastunoentallT.  "bat  esK-naJ 
ried  whea  bat  a  little  to;  fa  •»(  to  b^ 


'^  esvd  tm 


bialbct»la4aw,    1 
ie  jcartj  tripa  aov 
■aka,  whidi  the; 
to  Biake  itadj 


H.^ 


oUhia! 


Un. 


atwava  bees  a  gnat  fai 
tbe  trip,  aad  VTM  mvAi 


moosApmcAi,  bkbtcher 


im 


fare-well  to  the  East  and  come  "over  the  RockieB"  to  California. 
reaching  Rncrnmento,  which  waB  then  almoBt  the  begioniog  and 
ending  of  cvorjtbinfr  in  the  Slate,  late  in  August  of  that  .vear.  The 
Indiana  were  namevrous  oo  the  plains  then,  and  the  joarney  could 
only  be  made  with  large  trains.  The  Btoriea  told  by  Mr.  Abernethy 
of  the  eiperiencea  of  their  train  were/of  most  thrilling  interoBt,  as 
were  also  hia  sketcbea  of  early  daya  in  the  mines  and  on  the  great 
cattto  ranches  of  Northern  (California,  for,  being  a  boy.  with  all  a 
boy's  euthuaiaam  and  love  of  adventure,  he  wore  spurs  and  learned 
to  throw  a  lasHo  like  the  cowboys,  and  went  proHi>ecting  with  old 
miners  with  the  greatest  zeal.  In  1864  he  first  engaged  in  mercan- 
tile pursuits  on  the  Sacramento  River,  going  afterward  to  the  San 
Joaquin  Valley,  where  he  married  Misa  Laura  Gibson,  daughter  of 
Hev.  Hugh  tiibflon. 

In  April,  1872,  they  came  to  Los  Angeles.  Things  prospered,  the 
world  went  well  until  the  breaking  of  the  "boom,"  when  reversea 
began  coming,  one  by  one,  and  then  thick  and  fast.  Business  carca 
and  crosscB  grew  heavy,  plana  and  purposes  were  wrecked,  deep  be- 
reavement came,  but  he  nnver  lost  one  iota  of  hia  gentle  sweetne^, 
courage  or  faith.  That  he  waa  a  true  Christian  no  one  who  knew 
him  ever  doubted.  In  talking  with  his  wife  not  long  before  he  was 
taken  away  ho  said:  "Financially  things  have  gone  very  hard  with 
us,  but  I  am  not  discouraged  ...  I  do  want  to  have  the  love 
and  esteem  of  my  fellowmen  .  .  .  to  be  honest  and  true  is  bet- 
ter than  any  amount  of  wealth  ...  1  think,  my  dear,  If  I  could 
only  Fenl  aquare  with  the  world;  that  I  owed  no  wan  anything,  I 
would  l»e  ready  to  go  to  my  long  home" — and  God  took  him,  very 
swiftly;  before  the  dawu  of  November  lat,  1S98,  while  talkins;  with 
his  wife  in  hia  cheeriest  way.  There  was  no  time  for  ''sadnnsa  •>( 
farewell,  no  moaning  of  the  bar  when  he  put  out  to  aea" — and  Iher? 
will  never  be  any  sorrow  or  sighing  "in  the  prettence  of  the  King.'' 


NAMES  OF  MEMBERS  ELECTED 


Since  tfa«  luL  Roll  of 
Vtmm  AOB. 

And«non,  Bin.  Darld 69 

AiuLin  Henry  C 62 

ADdcTvoD,  John  C 54 

B«ll,  Horace 67 

BllM,Alben 6> 

Biles.  Mtb.  KHubetb  & 62 

BroMnier,  iit%.  B .......  55 

Cwfer,  N.  C 58 

auk.  Frank  S 55 

Conner,  Mrs,  Eate....„ 60 

Clupman.  A.  B 68 

Durfec,  Jmucs  D 58 

BDBi|n>.  Eliubeth  I, 53 

Bw1»,  MyroD  B 68 

PnmkliD.  Mt9.  Mary  A 51 

Gilbert,  Harlow 5B 

Gerkinii,  Jacob 58 

Damilton,  A.  N „ 54 

Bolbrook,  J.  F~ 51 

Jndson,  A.  H   .>...  59 

Moulton,  Elijah 7S 

McCdouu,  JoMcph  B 64 

NeweU.  Mra.  J.  G sa 

Pnacr.  Sunuel ti6 

Proclor,  A.  A 67 

Qninn.  Richud 68 

Rxpbwel.  EIyiiiUl,..,» 60 

Rose,  L.  J.... 71 

Scott.  Ur«.  Amuida  W. 67 

StoU.  H.  W 59 

SUo|;bter,  John  I*.. 63 

Sumner,  C.  A ji 

Toberm»n,  J.  R 6> 

Vdcll.  JoeephC 78 

Ward,J«tneaP 6a 

Workman,  Atrted 55 

White,  Caleb  B 68 

Weil.jBcob 69 

Wigguu.  Thomu  J 65 


Ifcmbenbip  wm  pnbUahed,  Feb.  t,  189S. 
BmttPLAC*.    ASWV4).  w  Co.  RVIDBin.        AM.m8TAn 


Kf J«n.  I,  1853 

KaM Autc-jo.  1869 

Ohio....  Miiy  34, 1873 

Ind. Oct,       185] 

BngUad.  Jaly,  1873 
EnnUnd.  Jaly,  1873 
GeraiAuy  Usy  16,  t868 

MkM ,  1871 

CoDQ Feb.  33, 1869 

Germnny  June  22,  1S7I 
Alabama.  April  1837 
lllinoU..  Sept,  15. 1858 
HiMOori.  Nov.  13,1860 
N.  Y....  Oct.  36.  1858 

Ky Jan.  t,     1633 

N.  Y....  No?.  I,  1869 

Gcrwany 1854 

Hich....  Jan.  24.  1873 
Indiana...  May  ao,  1873 
N,  Y....  Hay  1870 
Canada..  May  ta,  1845 
Virginia     Oct.  187J 

lodiaaa...  Jan,  t,  1853 
Pranla..  Pcby.     1854 

Dec       1871 

Ifdaod..  Jaa'y  1861 
Germany  Sept       (871 

GeriDauy   i860 

Ohio Dec        1859 

Gcnnany  Oct,  t.    1867 

La. Jan.  10,  1861 

Bii)tl*')d.  May  B.  1873 
Virginia..  April,     i86j 

Vet  moot i860 

N.  Y....  Jan.  I,  187a 
Bngland.  Nor.aS,  1B6S 
MaM....   Do;.  24,1868 

Qenaany   1S54 

HIaaonri.  Sept.  14,  1834 


64T  S.  Grand  are.  185a 

jiiS  Figoeroaflt  1869 

Munroria.       ,  -  1873 

1337  FiKneroa  st,  1850 

141  S.  OIItc  M.  ■  1873 

141  S.  Olive  St..  1875 
1713  Brooklyn  a*. 

Sierre  Madre. .  1871 

HydaPark 1869 

I0S4  S.  Grand  sv. 

San  Gabriel     .  1855 

Rl  Monte.  1855 
1515  Rock  wood. 

Loa  Angeles i85> 

353  Arenne  3a. .  185* 

Bell  Station....  t86& 

Glendalc >  tffS4 

6ti  Temple.....  1872 

»5S  Vine 1873 

Pasadena  are....  1870 

Bast  Los  Angeles  184$ 

Pomona tS^S 

a4i7W.NlDtb,.  tS^x 

Loa  Angeles....  1854 
416  B.  Pico. 

HI  Uonte    t86i 

451  Wcat  Lake  1871 

Grand  ar  &  4th  i860 

589  MiasioB  road  1859 

844S.Hill 1867 

614  N.Buoker  Hill  18I56 
1301  Orange 1875 

615  S.  Figtteroa..  1859 
St.  George  Hotel  1850 
ti2t  5.  Grand  av. 

313  Boyle  ave. 

Pomona ■849 

Paaadeua 1853 

Bl  Monte. 


I 


11 


i 


Organized  November  1,  1883  Incorporated  February  13,  1891 


PUBLICATIONS 


OF  THE 


Historical  Society 


OF 


Southern  California 
and  pioneer  register 

Los  Angeles 

i8qq 


Published  by  the  Society 


LOS  ANGELES.  CAL. 

1900 


CONTENTS. 


PASK 

Officers  of  the  Historical  Society,  1899-1900 196 

Dop  Abel  Stearns, H.  D.  Barrows  197 

Vieit  to  the  Grand  Canyon Mrs.  Af,  Buricn  WUUams&n  200 

Muy  nostre  Ayuntamiento ./.  M.  Guinn  206 

Ygnacio  Del  V alls N.  D.  Barrows  213 

Early  Club  Life  in  Los  Angela*. .fane  E.  Collier  216 

In  the  Old  Pnoblo  DajR .J.  M.  Guinn  22S 

The  Pious  Fund Rev.  J.  Adam  226 

Alfred  Robinson H.  D.  Barrows  2S4 

Value  of  an  Historical  Society WalUr  R.  Bacon  287 

Juan  Bandini H,  D.  Barrows  243 

Story  of  a  Plaza ./.  Af.  Guinn  247 

Early  Oovernore  of  California ff.  D.  Barrows  267 

Battle  of  Dominiguez  Ranch .J.  M,  Guinn  261 

Rwporteol  Officers 267 

PIONEER  REGISTER 

Ofllews  and  Committees  of  the  Society  ol  Pioneers,  1890-1900. . .  269 

CoDstitation  and  By-Laws 270 

Stephen  W.  La  Dow 273 

Edward  Nathaniel  McDonald 274 

Francis  Baker 276 

Hyman  Raphael 277 

Leonard  John  Rose 277 

Georgia  Herrlck  Bell 279 

Cordelia  Cox  Mallard 280 

Jose  Maecarel 282 

James  Craig 285 

Palmer  Milton  Bcott 286 

Membership  Roll  of  the  Pioneers  complete  to  1900 287 


OFFICERS  OF  THE  SOCIETY 
1899 

OFFICEBB. 

Albert  E.  Ybbex Preeident 

H.  D.  Babkows Firet  VicePreaident 

Rev.  J.  Adah Second  Vice-  President 

Edwin  Baxter Treasurer 

J.  M.  QuiNN Secretary  and  Curator 

BOARD  OF   DIRECTORS. 

J.  D.  Moody,  H.  D.  Barrowb, 

Frank  J.  Polley,  Rev.  J.  Adah, 

J.  M.  GuiNN,  A.  E.  Yerex, 

Mbb.  M.  B.  Williamson. 

1900 

officers  (elect). 

Walter  R.  Bacon President 

J.  D.  Moody ...  First  Vice-President 

Mrs.  M.  Burton  Wiluamson Second  Vice-President 

Edwin  Baxter Treasurer 

J.  M.  Guinn Secretary  and  Curator 

board   of   DIBECTORS. 

Walter  R.  Bacon,  E.  Baxteb, 

A.  C.  Vhoman,  H.  D.  Barrows, 

J.  M.  Guinn,  J.  D.  Moody, 

Mrs.  M.  Burton  Willuhson. 


Historical  Society 


OF 


Southern  California 

LOS  ANGELES.  1899. 


ABEL  STEARNS 


BV  H.  D.  BARROWS. 


One  of  the  very  earliest  American  settlers  of  California,  and 
for  many  years  one  of  the  most  prominent  and  influential  citizens 
of  Los  Angeles,  was  Abel  Stearns. 

Mr.  Stearns,  or  "Don  AM,"  as  he  was  called  both  by  the  native 
Californians  and  by  the  Americans — (in  Spanish-speaking  coun- 
tries people,  high  or  low,  rich  or  poor,  are  called  by  their  Christian 
names,  with  the  prefix  Don  or  Dona) — was  a  native  of  Salem, 
Mass.,  where  he  was  bom  in  the  year  1799,  just  one  hundred  years 
ago. 

He  came  to  Mexico  in  1826,  where  in  1828  he  was  naturalized; 
and  to  Monterey,  California,  in  1829.  In  1833  he  settled  in  Los 
Angeles,  which  remained  his  home  till  his  death,  which  occurred 
at  San  Francisco  in  1S71,  at  the  age  of  y2  years. 

His  residence  was  on  the  site  of  the  present  Baker  Block;  and 
it  was  for  many  years,  both  before  and  after  the  change  of  govern- 
ment, a  prominent  social  center  for  Southern  California,  It  was 
here  that  the  beautiful  daughters  of  Don  Juan  Bandini  entertained 
their  wide  circle  of  acquaintances  from  San  Diego,  Santa  Barbara, 
etc.,  at  grand  balls  and  other  charming  social  functions  characteris- 
tic of  life  in  Spanish  countries.  Here  Commodore  Jones  in  1842, 
and  Captain  Fremont  in  1846  and  '47,  and  other  distinguished  his* 


A  VISIT  TO  THE  GRAND  CANYON 


BY    MKS.    U.    BURTOK    WtLLlAUSON. 

We  are  told  that  the  shrill  whistle  of  the  engine  and  the  bustle 
of  railroad  cars  will  soon  penetrate  the  Coconino  forest  that  leads 
to  the  Grand  Canyon  of  the  Colorado  River.  Anything  that  hints 
at  a  "timetable"  is  entirely  out  of  place  in  the  presence  of  this  scA- 
emn.  silent  and  magnificent  exhibition  of  the  prodigality  of  titnt 
And  after  the  railroad  we  shall  expect  to  find  trolly  cars  running 
up  and  down  the  canyon,  claiming  the  distinction  of  nuining  down 
the  steepest  grade  of  any  electric  road  in  the  world,  and  air-line 
bridges  spanning  the  distance  from  one  dome  or  spur  of  granite  to 
another.  The  railroad  indicates  progress,  yet  does  it  not  seem  a 
desecration,  an  insult  to  centuries  of  solitude? 

With  its  varioits  canyons  the  Grand  Canyon  covers  an  area  of 
several  hundred  miles  in  length.  Dutlon  says  its  total  length  "as 
the  river  runs,"  is  about  2  r8  miles. 

The  Grand  Canyon  is  entered,  in  Arizona,  by  way  of  the  Cok>- 
rado  Plateau.  This  leads  into  the  Kaibab  division,  considered  the 
sublimcst  part  of  the  canyon.  It  is  reached  by  three  routes,  but  the 
favorite  one  in  summer  is  by  way  of  the  litlle  lumber  town  of  Flag- 
st^.  This  town  lies  almost  at  the  fool  of  the  San  Francisco  moun- 
tains and  is  reachetl  by  the  railroad.  Leaving  Flagstaff  in  the  early 
morning  a  stage  ride  of  sixty-five  or  seventy  miles  conveys  the 
travelers  to  the  rim  of  the  Grand  Canyon. 

On  a  day  in  June  in  1895.  a  large  party  of  Californians  started 
from  Flagstaff  for  the  canyon.  We  occupied  three  large  stages, 
some  of  the  party  being  outside  with  the  driver.  A  stage  ride 
that  occupies  something  like  twelve  or  thirteen  hours,  may  seem 
a  tedious  journey,  but  such  did  not  prove  the  case.  The  ascent  was 
gradual.  The  first  half  of  the  trip  was  throtigh  the  Coconino  forest, 
which  occupies  a  large  portion  of  the  Colorado  plateau. 

The  entrance  along  the  road  presented  charming  vistas,  with 
valleys  green  with  verdure,  groves  of  dark  green  pines  alternating 
with  groves  of  the  quaking  a«ipcn  whose  slim  white  tnmks  and 
branches  contrasted  with  their  glossy  light  green  leaves  that 
trembled  with  each  breeze,  and.  in  the  background  the  snow-capped 


I 
I 


ABEL  STUARHS 


199 


written  by  Steams  and  Robinson,  as  printed  on  pages  20-21  of  the 
Centennial  History  of  Los  Angeles  ci-unty  published  in  1876. 

At  about  this  period  Mr.  Steams  purchased  the  Alamitos  rancho 
with  its  live  stock  for  $6000,  as  a  foundation  for  his  future  landed 
wealth.  He  subsequently  acquired  large  tracts  of  land,  inckiding 
the  ranches  Los  Alatnitos,  Las  Bolas,  La  Laguna  de  Los  Angeles, 
and  a  half  interest  in  Los  Coyotes. 

The  first  real  estate  acquired  by  him  soon  after  his  arrival,  was 
the  tract  in  this  city  on  which  the  Arcadia  and  Baker  blocks  now 
stand. 

In  1845  ^^  ^'^*  active  with  niany  others  against  Governor 
Michcltorana  and  his  "cholos,"  whom  as  convict  soldiers  the  Gov- 
ernor had  brought  with  him  from  Mexico.  The  fiUl  details  of  this 
movement  furnish  ample  justification  for  the  action  taken  by  the 
people  in  the  premises. 

In  1846  Mr.  Steams  was  Sub-Prefect  and  was  appointed  agent 
of  the  United  States  government  by  Consul  Thos.  O.  Larkin,  with 
whose  plans  he  earnestly  co-operated. 

In  1849  lie  was  one  of  the  members  of  the  first  Constitutional 
Convention,  representing  the  Los  Angeles  district,  and  later  ha 
served  as  Assemblyman,  Supervisor,  City  Councilman,  etc. 

Don  Abel  Steams  eventually  became  one  of  the  largest  land  and 
cattle  owners  in  California,  and  although  he  lost  stock  heavily  by 
the  great  two  years  drouth  of  1863-4,  and  by  otlier  reverses,  he  left 
at  his  death  an  immense  estate  to  his  widow,  now  Mrs.  Arcadia  de 
Baker. 

Before  the  greath  drouth  of  the  6o's  he  branded  some  20,000 
calves  annually,  which  indicated  that  he  owned  as  high  as  60,000 
head  of  cattle. 

At  one  time  the  extensive  Arcadia  Block,  built  in  '58,  which,  it 
was  reported,  cost  some  $80,000.  was  mortgaged  for  something  like 
$30,000,  for  which  it  was  sold  under  foreclosure  late  in  the  60's. 
But  better  times  came  in  about  '68,  and  he  redeemed  the  block, 
having  sold,  as  was  reported,  five  ranches  for  $250,000,  he  still 
retaiuitig  one-fifth  interest  in  the  said  ranches. 

Mrs.  Steams  (Dona  Arcadia,  now  Mrs.  Baker,)  was  the 
daughter  of  Don  Juan  Bandini  and  his  wife  Dona  Dolores  de  Ban- 
dini,  daughter  of  Captain  Jose  M.  Estudillo  of  San  Diego.  Mr. 
and  Mrs  Steams  had  no  children. 


90S 


BIBTOBICAL  BOCXKTT  OF  SOtTTHIRX  CAUrORlOA 


rocks,  called  in  Arizona  "malpais,"  add  to  the  desolation.  Here  and 
there  dumps  of  cactus  bloom  and  lonely- looking  wild  flowers  dot 
the  almost  barren  plain.  But  at  a  distance  are  pictures  of  attractive 
landscapes.  After  some  time  the  Jack-oak  appears  and  again  tall 
pines  outskirt  a  forest  that  with  everjr  mile  grows  more  wooded,  as 
we  near  our  destination. 

Occasionally  a  tiny  pile  of  stones  are  seen  on  the  roadside. 
They  tell  the  story  of  the  mines,  for  in  such  places,  we  are  told,  some 
miner  has  pre-empted  his  claim,  and  the  pile  of  stones  is  erected 
above  his  prospective  gold  mine. 

The  wind  soughing  through  the  trees  journej'ed  with  us.  the  sun 
set,  the  night  came  on.  At  times  some  of  the  party  imagined  the 
canyon  in  view,  but  others  saw  only  the  golden  rays  of  the  setting 
sun  as  it  glimmered  through  the  pine  trees. 

At  nine  o'clock  as  a  lower  grade  was  reached  the  Hotel  with  its 
many  lights  suddenly  appeared.  Tlie  hotel  comprised  a  group  of 
white  tents,  seventeen  in  number,  including  one  long  dining  tent  and 
one  little  log  cabin  where  we  all  stopped  to  register,  fonned  a  ro- 
mantic picture  nestled  in  a  little  pine  covered  glen  bewteen  the  hills. 
Below  these  hills,  not  more  than  three  hundred  feet  away  was  the 
Grand  Canyon. 

After  eating  our  dinner,  the  guide,  with  a  lantern  to  light  the 
way  through  tlie  pine  trees,  took  us  up  one  of  the  cliffs  to  take  a 
view  by  moonlight  of  one  of  the  smaller  canyons  into  which  this  im- 
mense canyon  is  subdivided.  After  a  walk  of  two  or  three  moments 
the  small  pine  covered  hill  was  ascended  and  we  stood  upon  the 
brink  of  the  canyon.  The  Grand  canyon  was  a  surprise  in  every 
way.  Instead  of  entering  a  stupendous  gorge  and  gazing  upward 
we  were  above  and  the  canyon  was  below.  We  enjoyed  the  glimpse 
by  moonlight  and  rose  early  the  following  morning  to  get  a  bcttter 
view  by  daylight.  We  were  surprised  to  find  that  the  pine  trees 
grow  so  close  to  the  brink  that  their  cones  fall  into  the  abyss  below. 
And  as  you  stand  on  the  edge  of  the  rim  and  look  down  you  see  a 
deep  gorge  below  that  is  so  near  one  is  in  danger  of  falling  into  it. 
And  stretching  from  thirteen  to  eighteen  miles  across,  you  see  a  pan- 
orama of  jasjwr  cities,  a  series  of  gorges  and  mountain  ranges  of 
solid  rock.  Each  naked  mountain  has  a  different  peak  or  summit, 
no  two  alike.  The  mountains  themselves  arc  individual  in  their 
shape.  The  prevailing  color  of  the  Grand  canyon  is  red.  a  bright 
rose  red,  vennilHon  red.  Indian  red  and  var>'ing  shades  of  pink. 
But  as  the  eyes  become  more  accustomed  to  the  color  effect,  green, 
gray  and  other  colors  are  visible.     The  sublimity  of  the  Grand  can- 


A   VISIT  TO  IBS  ORAND  CANTON 


203 


I  cannot  be  felt  at  the  first  sight ;  it  increases  with  every  view  of 
it,  new  forms  present  tliemseives.  The  mind  is  not  prepared  to  ap- 
preciate the  infinite  variety  at  first,  it  is  too  colossal.  Its  immensity 
is  felt  immediately,  but  the  grandeur  of  these  jasper  cities  grows 
more  majestic  as  the  mind  becomes  accustomed  to  the  imfamiliar 
vision.  We  know  that  in  order  to  appreciate  the  best  music  the  car 
must  be  trained  to  distinguish  musical  liarmonies,  the  rhythm  ap- 
peals to  us  naturally,  but  the  soul  of  music  comes  to  us  through  mu- 
sical training  as  well  as  natural  endowment.  The  eye  must  be  edu- 
cated in  order  to  appreciate  art  in  its  highest  sense  I  was  re- 
minded of  this  when  viewing  the  canyon.  Each  view  of  it  only 
enhanced  my  admiration  of  it.  This  proved  that  the  limitations  of 
sight  and  color  perception  had  prevented  a  full  appreciation  of  this 
stupendous  system  of  gorges.  As  I  have  said  there  are  solid  rocks 
elevated  into  spurs,  domes  and  buttes  with  here  a  sharp  pinnacle, 
tlierc  a  broad  amphitheater,  a  castle  not  far  away  and  var\-ing  forms 
in  every  direction. 

We  are  told  that  water  and  frost  have  been  the  main  forces  that 
havecar%'ed  out  this  system  of  canyons.  The  eroding  power  of  the 
Colorado  river,  during  perhaps  thousands  of  centuries  has  cut  its 
way  in  the  form  of  one  rocky  gorge  after  another.  It  seems  incred- 
ible that  this  river,  seldom,  at  the  present  time,  300  feet  wide  from 
shore  to  shore,  could  have  been  such  an  agent. 

As  we  looked  down  one  of  the  deep  gorges  llie  river  looked  only 
like  a  roily  brook  about  six  feet  across.  Now  we  began  to  realize 
the  depth  of  the  gorge  that  walls  the  river.  Although  the  Colorado 
river  is  about  a  mile  and  a  quarter  below  the  rim  of  the  canyon  it  is 
necessary,  in  order  to  reach  it,  to  go  down  a  trail  of  over  seven  miles 
in  length. 

At  an  altitude  of  seven  thousand  feet  the  descent  down  the  trail 
appears  no  small  undertaking.  Only  a  small  proportion  of  those 
who  go  to  the  Grand  cayon  ever  make  the  descent.  Visitors  usually 
content  themselves  with  walking  around  the  rim  of  the  canyon.  Of 
our  party  of  23  who  started  down  only  12  made  the  descent  to  the 
river  and  ten  of  these  were  gentlemen.  On  the  third  day  of  our  ar- 
rival we  made  the  descent  down  the  trail. 

After  an  early  breakfast  our  party  started,  first  taking  a  walk 
through  the  pine  woods  across  beds  of  blue  lupines  in  full  bloom  and 
all  met  at  the  log  cabin  of  Hance,  the  guide,  who  was  waiting  at  the 
rim  of  the  canyon  with  his  mules  saddled  for  the  journey.  Besides 
the  mounted  travelers  there  were  foot  passengers.  As  the  old  trail, 
near  the  guide's  cabin,  had  been  abandoned  a  ride  around  part  of  the 


3(M 


HOTouoAL  aociirrr  or  •omrr.Rir  cautokhu. 


rim  was  necessary  before  the  descent  was  made,  then  single  file; 
mules,  m*n  and  women  began  the  downward  journey,  for  none  were 
mounted  at  first,  as  the  zig-zag  trail  was  too  steep  to  go  down  other- 
wise tlian  on  foot.  At  a  signal  from  the  guide  the  mules  are 
mounted.  On  the  way  the  precipitous  trail  is  dotted  here  and  there 
with  flowers.  The  shallow  soil  on  the  hard,  red  sandstone  is  suf- 
ficient for  the  scarlet  lobelia,  painted  cup  {Castillea),  blue  flax 
(liHum),  and  other  red,  blue,  purple  and  yellow  flowers.  Out  on 
rocky  ledges  the  ever  present  prickly  jiear  cactus  (ofruntia)  and  the 
bright  scarlet  Howers  of  the  mamillaria  cactus  are  seen. 

For  almost  a  mile  down  the  trail  the  view  of  this  part  of  the 
Kaibab  plateau  is  indescribably  rich  in  color  eflfect.  There  is  stiU 
the  predominance  of  pink  and  vermillion  red.  With  every  cui^/e 
downward  of  the  serpentine  trail  the  view  is  changed.  We  are  filled 
with  reverential  awe  as  we  see  before  us  the  work  of  a  thousand  cen- 
turies of  physical  energy  exhibited  in  the  dynamic  power  of  stream 
and  rain  erosion. 

As  the  defile  is  now  made  from  one  mountain  side  to  another 
the  scene  narrows,  the  broad  vistas  of  rocky  ranges  are  hidden  by 
stupendous  mountains  of  granite  that  rise  abruptly  on  either  sid&, 
Down,  down  the  rocky  gorge  our  eyes  try  to  scan  below  until  the! 
brain  grows  dizzy  at  the  depth  visible. 

"Do  you  see,"  says  the  guide,  "those  little  green  bushes  at  the 
foot  of  that  gorge  on  the  left?"     "'ITiey  arc  cotlonwood  trees  tliree 
feet  in  diameter.     I  know  for  I  have  been  there."     No  wonder  wM 
can  hardly  keep  our  seat  on  the  saddle  as  we  scan  the  distance  below' 
us. 

And  now  the  zigzag  trail  gives  place  to  long  circling  trails  that 
outline  the  base  of  one  mountain  after  another.     The  foot  travelers 
I  are  nowhere  visible,  only  the  riders  are  seen  following  each  other  in 

I  single  fi]e  deeper  and  deeper  down  the  mountain  road. 

1  The  river  is  nearing,  we  hear  its  roar  and  the  splashing  of  the^ 

I  water-falls. 

^^^  And  now  the  Colorado  river  is  before  us. 

^V  To  one  accustomed  to  the  Father  of  Waters,  the  Colorado  river 

W  appears  but  a  narrow  stream.     It  is  not  red.  but  muddy  enough  to 

f  compare  favorably  with  the  Missouri   in  its  muddiest  passages, 

I  The  thought  of  navigators  going  down  the  stream  through  the  can- 

1  yon  makes  one  tremble,  for  it  is  so  rocky,  so  turbulent,  so  shut  in  by 

I  one  canyon  after  another  that  the  wonder  grows  how  anyone  could 

^  navigate  its  waters  and  live  to  tell  the  tale. 

^^L  Juniper  and  mesquite  (prosopsis  rubescens)  trees,  the  kind  our 


A    VISIT  TO  TBB  ORAND  CANYON 


guide  calls  "cat's  claws" — ^because  this  species  of  mesquite  has  sharp 
thorns  on  it — plenty  of  hot  sand,  a  deserted  looking  tent  belonging 
to  the  guide,  a  wooden  bench,  two  hungry  looking  cats,  these  arc 
the  local  SHiroundings  at  the  foot  of  the  trail  by  the  river.  Above 
and  around  lis  are  the  mountains. 

We  wash  our  hands  in  the  Colorado  river,  bathe  our  faces,  col- 
lect a  few  pebbles  from  the  shore,  and  all  repair  to  such  shade  as  the 
juniper  trees  afford  us,  near  the  old  tent.  Wc  sit  on  the  bench  and 
try  to  cat  a  luncheon  prepared  for  us  at  the  hotel  at  the  rim  of  the 
canyon.  It  may  be  we  are  not  hungry,  only  thirsty,  for  the  water 
from  the  river  is  more  acceptable  than  the  luncheon,  consisting  as  it 
does  of  bread,  ham  spread  with  mustard,  hard  boiled  eggs  and 
olives.     We  feed  some  of  it  to  the  cats. 

The  journey  down  has  been  a  continued  pleasure,  a  picnic,  but 
the  journey  back  again  was  for  the  most  part  a  labored  effort.  Tlie 
high  altitude  caused  a  shortness  of  breath,  a  rapid  beating  of  the 
heart  and  aching  of  the  limbs  whenever  some  steep  ascent  made  it 
necessary  to  dismount  from  the  mules  and  climb  the  trail.  Some- 
times when  riding,  Stephen,  the  gray  mule,  would  forage  for  food, 
sage  brush  (artemisia)  and  bunch  grass,  in  the  most  hazardous  parts 
of  the  incline  trail,  often  as  he  turned  a  sharp  comer  down  and  out 
would  go  his  head,  but  where  his  hind  feet  could  find  a  resting  place 
no  one  could  tell,  fear  suggested  that  it  might  be  at  the  bottom  of 
the  canyon,  but  the  sure-footed  beast  never  lost  the  beat  of  the  trail. 

Each  traveler  had  filled  his  bottle  with  water  at  the  river  and  the 
guide  had  filled  his  canteen,  but  hollow  bottomed  wine  bottles  can 
contain  but  a  small  supply  of  water,  and  many  of  our  party  realized 
as  never  before  what  thirst  was.  At  five  o'clock  in  the  afternoon 
the  last  rider  had  gained  the  summit,  having  been  below  the  rim  ol 
the  canyon  since  half-past  eight  o'clock  in  the  morning. 


nUY  I  LUSTRE  AYUNTAMIENTO 

(Moit  IllosirtoQ*  A^anUmienio,  or  Municipal  ConncU  of  XiOt  Aogelev) 


How 


the 


BV  J.   M.  GUINN. 


municipality  or  corporation  of  Los  Angeles  gov- 
erned under  Spanish  and  Mexican  rule?  Very  few  of  its  present 
inhabitants,  I  presume,  have  examined  into  its  form  of  govcmmenl 
and  the  laws  in  force  before  it  came  into  possession  of  the  United 
States.  And  yet  its  early  laws  and  government  have  an  important 
bearing  on  many  questions  in  our  civic  affairs.  The  original  titles 
to  the  waters  of  the  river  that  supphes  our  city;  to  the  lota  that  some 
of  us  own,  and  to  the  acres  that  we  till,  date  away  back  to  the  days 
when  King  Carlos  III  swayed  the  destinies  of  the  might  Spanish 
empire;  or  to  that  later  time  when  the  cactus  perched  eagle  of 
Mexico  spread  its  wings  over  California.  There  is  a  vague 
impression  in  the  minds  of  many,  derived,  perhaps  from  Dana's 
"Two  Years  Before  the  Mast,"  and  kindred  works,  or  from  the  tales 
and  reminiscences  of  pioneers  who  came  here  after  the  discovery 
of  gold  that  the  old  pueblo  had  very  httle  government  except  mob 
rule;  and  that  California  was  g^ven  over  to  revolution  and  anarchy 
under  the  Mexican  regime.  Such  impressions  are  as  false  nf  ■ 
are  unjust.  There  were  but  comparatively  few  capital  crimes  cwn- 
mitted  in  Caltfomia  under  the  Spanish  domination  or  under  the 
Mexican  rule. 

The  era  of  crime  in  California  began  with  the  discovery  of  gold. 
There  were  no  Joaquin  Murietas  or  Tiburcio  Vasquezes  before  the 
days  of  '49.  It  is  true  there  were  many  revohitions  during  the 
Mexican  r^ime,  but  these,  in  nearly  every  case,  were  protests 
against  the  petty  tyrannies  of  Mexican-bom  governors.  California, 
during  the  time  it  was  a  Mexican  province.  sufTcred  from  bad  gov- 
ernors vcr>'  much  as  the  .\mcrican  colonics  did  before  our  revolu- 
tionary war.  The  descndants  of  revolutionary  sires  would  resent  as 
an  insult  the  imputation  that  their  forefathers  were  the  promoters 
of  anarchy.  The  California  revolutions  were  more  in  the  nature  of 
political  protests  than  real  revolutions.  They  were  usually  blood- 
less affairs.     In  the  half  dozen  or  more  revolutions  occurring  in  the 


irUT  ILUSTBG   AYtTHTAMIENTO 


SOT 


twenty  years  preceding  the  American  conquest,  and  resulting  in  four 
battles,  there  were  but  three  men  killed  and  six  or  seven  wounded. 

While  there  were  political  disturbances  in  the  territory,  and 
several  governors  were  deposed  and  sent  back  to  Mexico,  the  munic- 
jpal  governments  were  well  administered.  I  doubt  whctlier  the  mu- 
nicipality of  Los  Angeles  has  ever  been  governed  better  or  niore  eco-' 
nomically  under  American  rule,  than  it  was  during  the  last  iwcnty- 
five  years  that  the  most  illustrious  A>-untamiento  controlled  the  civic 
affairs  of  the  town.  Los  Angeles  had  an  Ayuntamiento  under 
Spanish  rule,  organized  in  the  first  years  of  her  existence,  but  it  had 
very  little  power.  The  Ayuntamiento  or  Municipal  Council  at  first 
consisted  of  an  Alcalde  (Mayor),  and  two  Regidores  (Council- 
men)  ;  over  them  was  a  quasi-military  officer,  called  a  comisionado 
— a  sort  of  petty  dictator  or  military  despot,  who.  when  occasion  re- 
quired or  inclination  moved  him,  embodied  within  himself  all  three 
departments  of  government — judiciary,  legislative  and  executive. 
After  Mexico  became  a  republic,  the  office  of  comisionado  of  the 
pueblo  was  abolished.  The  membership  of  the  Ayiuitamicnto  ofl 
Los  Angeles  was  increased  until  at  the  height  of  its  power  it  con-i 
sistedof  a  first  Alcalde,  a  second  Alcalde,  six  Regidores,  a  secretary' 
and  a  Sindlco.  The  Sindico  seems  to  have  been  a  general  utility 
man.  He  acted  as  City  Attorney,  Tax  and  License  Collector  and 
Treasurer.  The  Alcalde  was  president  of  the  Council,  Judge  and 
Mayor.  The  second  Alcalde  took  his  place  when  the  first  was  ill 
or  absent.  The  Regidores  were  numbered  from  one  to  six.  and 
ranked  according  to  number.  The  Secretary  was  an  important  per- 
sonage. He  kept  the  records,  and  was  the  only  paid  memlier  except 
the  Sindico,  who  received  a  commission  on  his  collections. 

The  jurisdiction  of  the  Ayuntamiento  of  Los  Angeles,  after  the 
seailarization  of  the  missions,  extended  from  the  limits  of  San  Juan 
Capistrano  on  the  south  to  and  including  San  Fernando  on  the 
north,  and  eastward  to  the  San  Bernardino  mountains — extending 
over  an  area  now  comprised  in  four  counties  and  covering  a  terri- 
tory as  large  as  the  State  of  Massachusetts.  Its  authority  was  as 
extensive  as  its  jurisdiction.  It  granted  town  lots  and  recom- 
mended lo  the  governor  grants  of  lands  from  the  public  domain.  Tn 
addition  to  passing  ordinances  for  the  government  of  the  pueblo, 
its  members  acted  as  the  executive  ofTicers  to  enforce  them.  It  com- 
bined within  itself  the  powers  of  a  Board  of  Health,  a  Board  of 
Education,  a  Police  Commission,  and  a  Street  Department.  Dur- 
ing the  civil  war  between  Northern  and  Southern  California,  it 
raised  and  equipped  an  army  and  declared  itself  the  superior 


SOS 


nmnmcAM.  «icnrr  or  ioirrHKBif  CAurouoA 


crain;  power  of  the  southern  lialf  of  the  territory.  The  members 
serrcd  withoat  pay,  but  if  a  member  was  ^aent  from  a  mectnif 
nrjtboat  a  good  excuse  be  was  6ned  $3.  The  sessions  were  con- 
ducted with  g^reat  dignity  and  decorum.  The  members  were  re- 
qnired  to  attend  their  public  functions  "attired  in  black  appard,  so 
as  to  add  solemnity  to  the  meetings" 

The  Ayuntamiento  was  spoken  of  as  the  'Most  lllustrioas"  ia. 
the  same  sense  that  wc  speak  of  the  "Honorable  City  Council."  but 
it  was  a  very  much  more  dignified  body  than  our  City  Coonctt. 
Taking  the  oath  of  office  was  a  sulcmn  and  impressiv-e  a^air.  The 
junior  Raider  and  the  Secretary  introduced  the  member  to  be 
sworn.  "When  he  shall  kneel  before  a  crucifix  placed  00  a  taUe  or 
dais,  with  his  right  liaml  on  the  Holy  Bible,  then  all  the  members  of 
the  Ayuntamiento  shall  rise  and  remain  standing  with  bowed  heads, 
while  the  Secretary  reads  from  the  oath  prescribed  by  law;  and  on 
the  member  saying.  *I  swear  to  do.  etc'  the  President  will  answer: 
'H  thou  so  doest.  God  will  reward  thee;  if  thou  docst  not,  may  He 
call  thee  to  accoant.'  "  As  there  was  no  pay  in  the  office,  and  its 
duties  were  numerous  and  onerous,  tliere  was  not  a  vtry  large  crop 
of  aspirants  for  Councilmen  in  those  dajs.  and  the  otBce  usttally 
sought  the  man.  It  might  be  added  that  when  it  caught  the  right 
man  it  was  loath  to  let  go  of  him. 

Notwithstanding  the  great  dignity  and  formality  of  the  old- 
time  Regidores,  they  were  not  above  seeking  the  advice  of  their  con- 
stituents, nor  did  they  assume  superior  airs,  as  some  of  our  later 
statesmen  do.  There  was  in  their  legislative  system  an  upper  hoosc 
or  court  of  last  appeal,  and  that  was  the  people  themselves.  When 
there  was  a  deadlock  in  their  Council  or  when  some  question  of 
great  importance  to  the  community  came  before  them,  and  they  were 
divided  as  to  what  was  best  to  do,  or  when  some  crafty  politician 
was  attempting  to  sway  thetr  decision  to  obtain  personal  gain  at  the 
expense  of  the  general  public,  then  the  "alarma  piiblica,"  or  the 
"public  alarm"  was  sounded  by  beating  the  long  roll  on  the  drum, 
the  citizens  were  thus  summoned  to  the  Hall  of  Sessions,  and  any 
one  hearing  the  alarm  and  not  heeding  it  was  fined  $3.  Wlicn  the 
citizens  were  convened,  the  President  of  the  Ayuntamiento,  speak- 
ing in  a  loud  voice,  stated  the  question,  and  the  people  were  given 
"public  speech."  Every  one  had  an  opportunity  to  make  a  speech. 
Torrents  of  eloquence  flowed,  and  when  all  who  wished  to  speak  had 
had  their  say  the  question  was  decided  by  a  show  of  hands.  The  ma- 
jority ruled,  and  all  went  home  happy  to  think  the  country  was  safe, 
and  they  had  helped  save  it. 


mjy  tLumtB  ayijntauiento 


9M 


I 


Some  of  the  ordinances  for  the  government  of  the  puebk)  passed 
by  the  old  Regidores  were  quaint,  but  not  amusing  to  the  culprits 
against  whom  they  were  directed.  The  "Weary  Willies'*  of  that 
day  were  compelled  to  tramp  very  much  as  they  arc  now ;  and  if  they 
did  not  find  work  in  three  days  from  the  time  they  were  ordered  to 
look  for  it,  they  were  fined  $2  for  the  first  offense;  $4  for  the  second, 
and  for  the  third  they  were  provided  with  a  job.  Article  2  of  an 
ordinance  passed  in  1844  says :  "All  persons  without  occupation  or 
known  means  of  living  shaJI  be  deemed  to  come  under  the  law  of 
vagabonds,  and  shall  be  punished  as  the  law  directs."  The  Ayunta- 
miento  ordered  a  census  taken  of  the  vagalKjnds.  The  census  re- 
port showed  twenty-two  vagabonds,  eight  genuine  and  fourteen  or- 
dinary. It  is  to  be  regretted  that  the  Regidorcs  did  not  define  what 
constituted  a  genuine  and  what  an  ordinary  vag. 

The  Ayuntamiento  also  regulated  the  social  functions  of  the  old 
pueblo.  Ordinance  19:  "A  license  of  $2  shall  be  paid  for  all 
dances,  except  marriage  dances,  for  which  permission  shall  be  ob- 
tained from  the  Alcalde."  The  festive  lover  who  went  forth  to  ser- 
enade his  lady  love  without  a  permit  from  the  Alcalde  was  subject 
to  a  fine  of  $1.50.  If  he  tried  it  a  second  time  the  fine  was  doubled, 
and  the  third  offense  landed  him  in  the  guard  house.  Here  is  a 
trade  union  regulation  nearly  sixty  j-ears  old :  Ordinance  7 :  "All 
grocery,  clothing  and  liquor  houses  arc  prohibited  from  employing 
any  class  of  ser\'ants  foreign  to  the  business  without  verbal  or  writ- 
ten stipulation  from  their  former  employers.  Any  one  acting  con- 
trary to  the  above  shall  forfeit  all  right  to  claim  reimbursement." 
Occasionally  the  Ayuntamiento  had  lists  of  impecunious  debtors  and 
dead  heats  made  out  and  published.  Merchants  and  tradesmen 
were  wamctl  not  to  give  these  fellows  credit. 

The  old  pueblo  had  its  periodical  smalli>ox  scares.  Then  the 
Councilmen  had  to  act  as  a  Board  of  Health;  there  were  no  physi- 
cians in  the  town,  Tn  1844  the  disease  became  epidemic,  and  the 
Ayuntamiento  issued  a  proclamation  to  the  people,  and  formulated 
a  long  list  of  hygienic  rules  and  regulations  to  be  obser\'ed.  The 
object  of  the  proclamation  seemed  to  be  to  paint  the  horrors  of  the 
plague  in  such  vivid  colors  that  the  people  would  be  frightened  into 
observing  the  Council's  niles.  Some  of  the  Ayuntamiento's  niles 
might  he  adopted  and  enforced  now  with  good  effect.  The  procla- 
matinn  and  the  niles  were  ordered  read  by  a  guard  at  each  house 
and  Iwforc  the  Indian  huts.  I  give  a  portion  of  the  proclamation 
and  a  fev/  of  the  rules  : 

"That  destructive  power  of  the  Almighty,    which  occasionally 


SIO 


HisroBtcAL  socnrrr  op  sotrrHSKa  cAuroiuru 


pnnishes  man  for  his  numerous  faults,  destroys  not  only  kingdoms, 
cities  and  towns,  leaving  many  persons  in  orphanage  and  devoid  of 
protection,  but  gties  fOTlh  with  an  exterminating  hand,  and  preys 
upon  science,  art  and  agriculture — this  terrible  plague  threatens  this 
tmfortunale  department  of  the  grand  Mexican  tiation,  and  seems 
more  fearful  by  reason  of  the  smalt  population  which  cannot  fill  one- 
twentieth  part  of  its  territory.  What  would  become  of  her  if  this 
eminently  philanthropic  Ayuntamiento  had  not  pro\*ided  a  remedy 
portly  to  counteract  these  ills?  It  would  bereave  the  town  of  the 
arms  dedicated  to  agriculture  (the  only  industr)*  of  the  country), 
which  would  cease  to  be  useful,  and  in  consequence  misery  would 
prevail  among  the  rest.  The  present  A>iintaniiento  is  deserving  of 
praise  as  it  is  the  first  to  take  steps  beneficial  to  the  conunimity  and 
the  country." 

Among  the  hygienic  rules  were  orders  to  the  "pec^e  to  refrain 
from  eating  pepi>crs,  and  spices  that  stimulate,"  "to  wash  all  salted 
meats  before  using,"  "all  residents  in  good  health  to  bathe  and 
cleanse  themselves  once  in  eight  days,"  "to  refrain  from  eating  un- 
ripe fruit,"  "to  bum  sulphur  on  a  hot  iron  in  their  houses  for  fumi- 
gation." Rule  4 :  "All  saloon-keepers  shall  be  notified  not  to  al- 
low the  gathering  of  inebriates  in  their  saloons  under  penalty  of  $5 
fifw  for  the  first  offense,  and  dosing  the  place  by  law  for  the  second 
offense."  "All  travders  on  inland  roads  were  compelled  to  halt  at 
the  distance  of  four  leagties  from  the  town  and  remain  in  quarantixkc 
three  days,  during  which  rime  they  shall  wash  their  clothes."  Vac- 
cination was  enforced  then  as  now. 

The  Alcalde's  p»>wcrs  were  as  unlimited  as  those  of  the  Ayimta- 
miento.  They  judged  all  kinds  of  cases  and  settled  all  manner  of 
disputes.  There  were  no  lawyers  in  the  old  pueblo  to  worry  the 
judges,  and  no  juries  ot  subvert  justice  and  common  sense  by  anom- 
alous verdicts. 

Sometimes  the  Alcalde  was  Judge,  jury  and  executioner — all  ia 
one. 

At  the  session  of  the  .\i.'untamienlo.  March  6,  1837.  Jose  Sepiil- 
veda.  Second  Alcalde,  infonned  the  members  "that  the  prisoners 
Juliano  and  Timoteo  had  confessed  to  the  murder  of  Ygnacio  Or- 
tega, which  was  deliberated  and  premeditated."  "ITe  said  he  had 
decided  to  sentence  them  to  be  shot  and  also  to  execute  them  to- 
morrow, it  being  a  holiday  when  the  neighborhood  assembles  in 
town.  He  asked  the  members  ot  the  Illustrioas  Ayuntamiento  to 
express  their  opinion  in  the  matter,  which  they  did.  and  all  were  of 
Uie  same  opinion  " 


MDY   ILC3TBK   AYUSTAMIENTO 


211 


"Senor  Sqiulveda  said  he  had  already  solicited  the  services  of  the 
Reverend  Father  at  San  Gabriel,  so  tliai  he  may  come  today  and  ad- 
minister spiritual  consolation  to  the  prisoners." 

At  the  meeting  of  the  Ayuntamicnto,  two  weeks  later — March 
20,  1837,  the  record  reads:  "Second  Alca.lde  Jose  Scpulveda 
thanked  the  members  for  acquiescing-  in  his  decision  to  shoot  the 
prisoners  Juliano  and  Timotco,  but  after  sending  his  decision  to  the 
Governor,  he  was  ordered  to  send  the  prisoners  to  the  general  gov- 
ernment, to  be  tried  according  to  law  by  a  council  of  war;  and  he 
had  complied  with  the  order." 

The  prisoners,  1  infer,  were  Indians.  While  the  Indians  of  the 
pueblo  were  virtually  slaves  to  the  ranclicros  and  vineyardists,  they 
had  certain  rights  which  white  men  were  compelled  to  respect.  The 
Ayuntamicnto  had  granted  to  the  Indians  a  portion  of  the  pueblo 
lands  near  the  river  for  a  rancheria.  At  a  meeting  of  the  Ayunta- 
micnto the  Indians  presented  a  (wtition  stating  that  the  foreigner 
Juan  Domingo  (John  Sunday),  had  fenced  in  part  of  tlieir  land; 
and  praying  that  it  be  returned  to  them.  The  members  of  the 
Council  investigated  the  cause  of  the  complaint  and  found  John  Sun- 
day guilty  as  charged.  So  they  fined  Juan  $12  and  compelled  him 
to  set  this  fence  back  to  the  line. 

The  Indians  were  a  source  of  annoyance  to  the  Regidores  and 
the  people.  There  was  always  a  number  of  the  neophytes  or  Mis- 
sion Indians  under  sentence  for  petty  misdemeanors  and  drunken- 
ness. They  filled  the  chain  gang  of  the  pueblo.  Each  R^dor 
had  to  take  his  weekly  turn  as  Captain  of  the  chain  gang  and  super- 
intend the  work  of  the  prisoners. 

The  Indian  village  known  as  the  Pueblito,  or  little  town,  down 
by  the  river,  between  what  arc  now  First  street  and  Aliso,  was  the 
plague  spot  of  the  body  politic  in  the  old  pticblo  days.  Petition 
after  petition  came  to  the  Council  praying  for  the  removal  of  the 
Indians  beyond  the  limits  of  the  town.  Finally,  in  1846,  the  Ayun- 
tamieto  ordered  their  removal  across  the  river  to  a  place  known  as 
the  "Aguage  de  Los  Avilas" — the  spring  of  the  Avilas — and  the 
site  of  their  former  village  was  sold  to  their  old-time  enemy  and 
persecutor.  John  Sunday,  the  foreigner,  for  $200,  which  was  to  be 
expended  for  the  benefit  of  the  Indians.  Governor  Pico,  on  the  au- 
thority of  the  territorial  government,  borrowed  the  $200  from  the 
Council  to  pay  the  expenses  of  raising  troops  to  suppress  Castro, 
who,  from  his  headquarters  at  Monterey,  was  supposed  to  be  fo- 
menting another  revolution,  with  the  design  of  overthrowing  Pico 
and  making  himself  Governor.     If  Castro  had  any  such  designs,  the 


212 


HISTORICAL  ■ocicrr  or  soorBBiui  CAUvoiunA 


American  frustraied  Ihcra  by  uking'  possession  of  the  country  (or 
Ihcmsdve*.  I'ico  and  Castro,  with  their  respective  armies,  re- 
treated to  Los  Angeles,  but  the  Indians'  money  never  came  back  any 
more.  "The  foreign  adventiu^rs  of  tlic  United  States,  of  the 
nonh,"  when  they  gained  possession  of  the  old  pueblo  abated  the 
Indian  nuisance  by  exterminating  the  Indian. 

The  last  recorded  meeting  of  the  Ayuntamiento  under  Mexican 
nilc  was  held  July  4.  1846.  and  its  last  recorded  act  was  to  give 
Juan  Domingo,  the  foreigner,  a  title  to  the  pueblito — the  lands  on 
which  the  Indian  village  stood.  G^uld  the  irony  of  fate  have  a 
shariicr  sling?  The  Mexican,  on  the  birthday  of  American  librrt- 
robbed  the  Indian  of  the  last  acre  of  his  ancestral  lands,  and  the 
American,  a  few  ilays  later,  robbed  the  Mexican  that  robbed  the  In- 
dian. The  Ayuntamiento  was  revived  in  1847  after  the  conquest  of 
the  city  by  the  Americans,  but  it  was  not  the  "Most  Illustrious"  of 
former  times.  The  heel  of  the  conqueror  was  on  the  neck  of  the 
native;  and  it  is  not  strange  that  the  old  motto  of  Mexico  which  ap- 
pears so  often  in  the  early  archives  I>'«3s  y  Libertad  (God  and  Lib- 
erty )  was  sometimes  abbreviated  in  the  later  records  to  "God  and 
etc."     The  Secretary  was  sure  of  Dies  but  uncertain  about  Libertad. 


DON  YQNACIO  DEL  VALLE 


BY  H.  D.  BARROWS. 

Among  the  many  interesting  characters  of  early  Los  Angeles 
whom  I  knew,  was  Don  Ygnacio  del  Valle.  Although,  compara- 
tively speaking,  I  had  only  a  slight  acquaintance  with  Don  Ygnacio, 
I  saw  him  frequently.  I  knew  of  his  general  character  and  the 
warm  regard  la  which  he  was  held  by  his  intimates  and  by  the  com- 
munity in  which  he  was  prominent  for  so  many  years,  to  greatly  ad- 
mire and  respect  him  for  his  sterling  qualities  as  a  man  and  a  citi- 
zen. In  person,  he  was  oi  medium  height,  rather  stout,  with  pleas- 
ing features,  and  his  manners,  dignified,  courteous  and  gentle.  He 
has  l>een  dead  almost  twenty  years,  but  1  venture  to  say  that  all  who 
knew  him  who  survive  him  retain  only  pleasant  memories  concern- 
ing him. 

Judge  Ygnacio  Sepulveda,  a  former  District  Judge  of  Los  An- 
geles county,  who  knew  Mr.  del  Valle  well,  wrote  a  memorial  sketch 
of  him  on  the  occasion  of  his  death,  which  occurred  in  April,  :88o. 
And,  though  this  sketch  was  published  at  the  time,  it  will  doubt- 
less he  of  interest  to  many  others  of  today,  besides  the  members  of 
our  Historical  Society,  to  leam  what  Judge  Sepulveda  had  to  say 
of  his  friend,  inasmuch  as  something  like  90,000  people  have  come 
to  Los  Angeles  since  Mr.  del  Valle's  death. 

Judge  Sepulveda  says : 

"  •  *  •  Don  Ygnacio  del  Valle  was  bom  in  the  State  of 
Jalisco,  Mexico,  on  the  first  of  July.  180S.  He  received  a  liberal 
education,  his  parents  having  been  jwrsons  of  wealth  and  position. 
In  the  year  1818  depredations  were  committed  on  the  coast  towns 
of  California  by  pirates  under  the  command  of  a  desperado  named 
Bouchard.  To  protect  the  country  two  military  companies,  one 
from  San  Bias,  were  sent  to  California  by  the  Mexican  government 
in  1819.  Don  Antonio  del  Valle,  father  of  Don  Ygnacio,  was  Lieu- 
tenant of  the  San  Bias  company.  Six  years  after  the  arrival  of  Don 
Antonio  in  California,  he  sent  for  his  son.  Ygnacio,  who  landed  in 
Monterey  nn  the  27th  of  July.  1825.  In  March.  T828,  Don  Yg- 
nacio entered  the  se^^'ice  as  Second  Lieutenant,  being  attached  to  the 


214 


HuroRicAt.  socicnr  or   mutbkkh  cjxiroucu 


staff  of  General  Echeandia,  Governor  of  California,  with  headguar- 
ters  at  San  Diego,  rcnuuning  there  until  1833.  discharging^  various 
functions  at  that  place,  as  Captain  in  command  of  the  place  and 
chief  custom  house  officer. 

"On  the  arrival  of  Governor  Figueroa  in  1833  Lieutenant  dd 
Valle  was  transferred  to  Monterey,  where  he  continued  to  discharge 
liis  duties  on  the  staff  of  Governor  Figueroa  until  the  latter's  death 
in  1836,  when,  on  account  of  the  insurrection  led  by  Castro  and 
Alvarado  against  the  government  represented  by  Gutierrez,  Lieu- 
tenant del  Vallc.  unwilling  to  take  part  in  the  movement,  remained 
separated  from  the  service  until  1840,  when  he  obtained  his  dis- 
charge. 

"In  1834.  Don  Ygnacio  was  appointed  Commissioner  by  Gov- 
ernor Figueroa  in  the  secularization  of  the  missions.  He  fuDy  car- 
ried out  his  orders  with  respect  to  the  missions  of  San  Gabrid,  Santa 
Cruz  and  Dolores.  In  '42  he  was  appointed  juez  of  the  mining  dis- 
trict of  San  FraiKisquito.  Tn  1845  he  was  a  member  of  the  Junta 
Departmental,  or  Departmental  Assembly  of  California,  and  in  1846 
he  was  appointed  Treasurer  of  the  Department,  occupying  said  of- 
fice until  the  United  States  took  possession  of  the  country.  In  1850 
he  was  Alcalde  of  Los  .\ngeles,  and  on  the  first  election  under 
American  rule,  he  was  elected  Recorder  of  the  county,  and  in  1852 
was  member  of  the  Assembly  from  Los  Angeles  county." 

After  1 86 1  Don  Ygnacio  resided  on  his  ranch©  at  Camulos  with 
his  family,  "devoting  his  time  to  the  rearing  and  proper  education 
of  his  children,  and  to  the  development  of  his  beautiful  domain.** 

Don  Ygnacio  was  twice  married,  his  second  wife  being  a  dauglt- 
ter  of  Cerbol  Varelas.  No  issue  of  the  first  marriage  survives. 
His  widow  still  resides  on  Camulos  rancho.  The  eldest  of  their  six 
children  is  Hon.  Reginaldo  F.  del  Vallc,  an  attorney  of  this  dty, 
•who  since  the  death  of  his  father  has  successively  represented  Los 
Angeles  county  in  both  the  Assembly  and  the  State  Senate.  A 
daughter  of  Don  Ygnacio  is  married  to  J.  F.  Forster.  son  of  the 
Pioneer,  Mr.  John  Forster.  formerly  of  the  rancho  of  Santa  Mar- 
garita. 

.Ml  who  knew  Mr.  del  Vallc  in  his  lifetime  will  sympathize  with 
and  indorse  the  following  eloquent  and  true  words  of  Judge  Sepul- 
veda  concerning  his  friend,  the  subject  of  this  sketch : 

"There  was  much  in  his  life  to  engage  our  affection  and  respect. 
Few  men  have  impressed  upon  the  memory  of  their  friends  a  live- 
lier sense  of  excellence  and  unsullied  virttic.  In  the  private  and  do- 
Qiestic  circle  he  was  greatly  beloved.     He  was  confiding  and  affcc- 


JX>H  TONAaO  DEL  VALLK  216 

tionate.  He  possessed  an  enlightened  benevolence  and  a  warm 
sensibility,  always  eager  to  advance  those  who  were  within  the 
sphere  of  his, influence.  He  was  a  man  of  inflexible  honor  and  in- 
tegrity, a  devout  lover  of  truth,  and  conscientiously  scrupulous  in 
the  discharge  of  his  duties.  *  *  *  The  tears  that  fall  upon  his 
grave  are  unstained  by  any  mixture  of  bitterness  for  frailty  or  for 
vice.  He  lived  as  a  true  man  would  wish  to  live  He  died  as  a 
good  man  would  wish  to  die." 


EARLY  CLUB  LIFE  IN  LOS  ANQELES 

By  JANE  E.  CQLLIEB. 

(Read  before  the  Friday  Morning  Club,  October  4,  1895,  by  Miss 
Jane  E.  Collier. — Published  by  permission  of  the  author.) 

The  Friday  Morning  Club  is  scarcely  yet  old  enough  to  toast 
itself  on  its  birthdays  or  banquet  itself  on  anniversaries.  Modesty 
forbids  such  demonstrations  in  one  so  yoimg.  But  while  we  are 
waiting-  for  time  to  make  fast  our  foundations,  strcngtiicn  our 
wavering  wills  and  make  clear  our  purposes,  it  might  not  be  amiss 
for  us  to  be  also  looking  about  for  some  reputable  ancestors.  If  we 
could  by  searching  find  out  a  few  club  grandmothers  who  would  be 
a  credit  to  us  and  upon  whose  shoulders  we  might  lay  at  least  some 
of  the  burdens  as  well  as  the  honors  of  our  club  life  it  might  ease  our 
minds  of  any  fears  of  a  mushroom  existence  and  encourage  us  to  be- 
1ie\'e  that  there  is  in  us  life  eternal.  If  we  can  find  any  trace  of 
having  evolved  from  those  early  Woman's  Clubs  of  Los  Angeles  wc 
arc  entitled  to  rejoice  in  the  discovery,  as  one  rejoices  in  finding  a 
long-lost  parent.  It  furnishes  us  a  family  tree  at  once,  and  having 
found  a  branch  upon  which  to  hang  the  Friday  Morning  Club  we 
can  proceed  at  once  tu  reckon  our  birthdays  and  make  preparations 
for  mild  festivities,  befitting  one  who,  having  ancestors,  is  not  to  be 
looked  upon  lightly  or  frowned  down  unceremoniously. 

We  are  entitled  to  claim  some  kinship.  I  think,  to  what  was.  T 
believe,  the  first  woman's  club  of  Los  Angeles,  organized  .\pril  13th, 
1878,  seventeen  years  ago,  in  Dr.  Lockhart's  parlors.  Mrs.  C.  M. 
Severance  was  made  President;  Mrs,  B.  C.  Whiting.  Vice-Presi- 
dent: and  Mrs.  M.  D.  Spalding.  Secretary  and  Treasurer.  All 
three  of  these  ladies  are  at  present  officers  of  the  Friday  Morning 
Chib.  The  Treasurer's  book  shows  a  membership  of  twenty-five  at 
the  beginning.  Many  of  the  names  may  also  be  found  on  the  books 
of  the  Friday  Morning  Club.  Among  them  are:  M.  Se^'mour, 
Mrs.  S.  D.  Furrcy.  Mrs.  C.  B.  Jones,  Miss  Pigne  (now  Mrs.  WoodV 
MisjiBroussean,  Mrs.  M.  C  Oraham  and  Miss  Collier. 

What  this  Woman's  Chih  was  for  and  what  it  was  going  to  do 
were  as  vital  questions  then  as  they  are  now  in  reference  to  our  own 


i 
I 

I 


SAKLT   CLUB   LIFE  IN    LOS   ANan.« 


217 


club.  It  was  accused  of  being  progressive,  and  there  was  a  sus- 
picion at  least  in  the  ''legal  male  mind"  that  its  members  might  at 
any  moment  adopt  bloomers  as  a  club  costume.  Yet  the  constitu- 
tion and  by-laws  were  inoffensively  feminine  and  conservative,  there 
being  no  hint  in  them  of  that  deadly  reformatory  spirit  that  is  so 
ruinous  to  the  peace  and  stagnation  of  society  in  general.  The  con- 
stitution simply  recited  that  "the  object  of  this  association  shall  be, 
primarily,  to  become  an  organized  social  center  for  united  thought 
and  action,  and,  ultimately,  to  furnish  a  central  resting  place  for 
the  convenience  of  its  members." 

The  first  meetings  were  held  in  the  parlor  of  Union  Hall,  which 
was  on  Spring  street  nearly  opposite  the  old  Court  House  site.  The 
place  of  meeting  was  at  that  time  considered  a  trifle  suburban.  I 
lemember  that  1  entered  the  club  hall  for  the  first  time  with  consider- 
able fear  and  trembling  as  it  was  my  first  acquaintance  with  a  certain 
"eminent  woman  of  our  age"  except  as  I  had  known  her  through 
the  pages  of  a  bulky  green  Ixiok  in  my  mother's  library:  Mrs.  C. 
M.  Severance.  She  was  the  central  figure  and  moving  spirit  in 
those  early  club  days.  From  her  many  of  us  got  our  first  ideas  of 
what  club  life  ought  to  be  and  might  lie.  If  we  have  not  yet  reached 
either  her  ideal  or  our  own  we  trust  that  we  are  at  least  in  the  morn- 
ing of  realization,  and  that  the  full  light  of  success  may  soon  break 
upon  us.  The  club  work  of  those  early  days  did  not  vary  ma- 
terially from  the  work  of  today,  though  our  numbers  were  small 
and  our  programmes  did  not  materialize  with  unvarying  certainty. 

I  believe  the  first  paper  1  heard  read  in  that  club  was  one  by  Mrs. 
Chapin  on  "The  Importance  of  Protecting  Home  Industries."  The 
Southern  California  Fruit  Packing  Company  was  then  just  strug- 
gling into  existence  and  the  writer  urged  us  to  take  it  under  our  fos- 
tering care.  I  doubt  not  that  it  owes  its  present  prosperity  to  our 
timely  interest. 

Mrs.  Whiting  was  kinder  to  us  then  than  she  is  now,  and  read 
papers  to  us  on  the  importance  of  cultivating  a  love  of  agricultural 
pursuits  :  Industrial  Education,  in  fact.  But  that  was  before  Mrs. 
Wills  had  deserted  art  and  taken  to  work  of  which  we  will  speak 
later.  We  have  reason  to  congratulate  ourselves  that  labor  has  al- 
ways had  able  advocates  among  us. 

And  T  remember  that  Miss  Stevens  gave  us  a  paper  on  dress  re- 
form with  practical  illustrations.  She  had  evolved  some  sort  of  a 
Greek  gown  from  her  classical  brain  and,  producing  this  wonderful 
creation,  she  subjugated  Miss  Seymour  into  a  dummy  upon  which 


318 


HlflTOUOAL  BOOHEnr  OP  aoDTRBRll  OAUFOBHU 


to  display  its  channs.  It  was  supposed  to  be  less  objectionable  than 
the  short  skirts,  the  bicycle  not  having  yet  appeared  as  a  reason  for 
their  existence,  and,  of  course,  the  mere  matter  of  health  and  con- 
venience counted  for  nothing  in  their  favor.  It  was  not  until 
pleasure  demanded  tliera  that  they  dared  to  appear  upon  our  streets. 
But  let  us  not  lose  heart  though  a  reform  in  street  dress  is  brought 
about  by  love  of  a  pastime  rather  than  by  force  of  common  sense; 
at  least  the  result  is  good;  let  us  clasp  that  fast  to  our  fainting 
hearts  and  be  comforted.  Miss  Stevens  bent  her  energies  toward 
compromise,  but  today  proves  that  it  was  a  bicycle  and  not  com- 
promise that  was  needed. 

One  of  the  reformatory  measures  undertaken  by  the  Woman's 
Oub  of  '78  was  an  attempt  to  have  a  competent,  and  in  every  way 
desirable  woman  made  librarian  of  the  city  library.  Miss  Pigne, 
now  Mrs.  Wood,  was  our  candidate.  We  went  in  full  force, 
twenty  in  all,  before  the  honorable  body  having  the  power  to  make 
the  appointment,  with  our  petition.  They  listened  to  us  in  re- 
spectful silence  and  then  requested  us  to  retire,  which  we  did,  grace- 
fully, of  course.  They  then  promptly  elected  Pat  Connolly  librarian, 
as  previously  "fixed."  While  we  could  not  approve  of  the  appoint- 
ment we  took  what  cold  comfort  we  might  in  an  approving  con- 
science and  continued  our  fight  as  wc  have  done  to  this  day  without 
effective  ammunition,  which  is  the  ballot.  We  may  not  always  use 
it  when  once  it  is  granted,  but  I  think  we  will  occasionally  be  able 
to  bring  down  some  game  with  it.  Some  advance  has  certainly 
been  made  in  our  city  library,  howc\*er,  since  the  reign  of  Mr.  Con- 
nolly, fifteen  years  ago,  for  since  that  time  its  work  has  been  con- 
fided tn  the  care  of  capable  women  who,  we  hope,  may  continue  to 
administer  it  with  satisfaction  to  the  public  and  credit  to  them- 
selves. 

Perhaps  one  of  the  most  noteworthy  social  events  in  our  early 
club  life  ocairred  January  9th,  1879,  in  Union  Hall.  On  that  occa- 
sion the  club  members  gave  a  dramatic  burlesque  of  their  meetings. 
The  burlesque  was  written  by  one  of  the  most  talented  members. 
Miss  Stevens,  now  a  teacher  in  Oakland.  Tlie  club  was  at  that  time 
divided  into  four  sections:  art,  education,  work  and  discussion,  with 
an  occasional  fifth  day  for  recreation.  Each  section  was  most  roy- 
ally travestied.  In  the  old  programme  which  1  have  before  me  the 
names  of  those  who  took  part  are  so  skillfully  disguised  that  I  am 
thrown  back  upon  my  raemor)'  to  recall  them :  Mrs.  Dradfield, 
Mrs.  Spalding,  Mrs.  Qiloe  B.  Jones.  Miss  Seymour,  Mrs.  M.  C. 
Graham  and  Miss  Collier  occur  to  mc.     If  the  audience  took  the 


SARLT  CLUB   UPE  IK   LOB   AHOSLBS 


219 


travesty  seriously  the  fault  could  not  have  been  due  to  the  acting, 
though,  strange  to  say,  none  of  these  ladies  have  since  attained  to 
any  eminence  in  dramtaic  art. 

This  pioneer  club  must  have  had  frequent  leanings  toward 
things  in  '"lighter  vein."  for  in  addition  to  its  efforts  in  the  dramatic 
art  1  find  in  searching  through  old  club  manuscript  that  they  once 
per)jctrated  the  staring  innovation  of  electing  a  man  to  associate 
membership.  The  gentleman  was  Mr.  C.  \V.  Gibson,  and  the  honor 
was  doubtless  conferred  for  love  and  affection :  qualities  rare  in  men 
toward  women's  clubs.  The  paper  conferring  the  degree  has  fallen 
into  my  hands  and  reads  as  follows : 

"To  whom  it  may  concern:  This  is  to  certify  that  Mr.  C.  W. 
Gibson  has  been  examined  as  to  his  genealogical,  physiological, 
pschycological  and  phrenological  character  and  found  worthy,  and 
as  there  is  a  presumption  that  equal  satisfaction  would  follow  the 
investigation  of  his  biology,  osteology,  neurology,  plutocracy  and 
representative  democracy : — we,  the  ladies  of  the  Woman's  Club  of 
Los  Angeles,  have,  "in  full  conclave,  unanimously,  in  tnajrima  con- 
cordia,  and  full  regalia,  elected  him  by  our  most  sacred  rites  of  hie, 
hate,  hoc;  hociiSj  pocux,  hats;  andJwm,  es,  est,  to  membership  asso- 
ciate of  the  mnst  ancient  and  honorable  body,  known  in  history  as 
the  Woman's  Gub  of  Los  Angeles,  and  we  call  upon  the  thirty-two 
points  of  the  compass,  the  zenith  and  nadir,  and  the  universe  in  gen- 
eral, to  recognize  said  Mr.  C.  W.  Gibson  as  entitled  to  all  the  honors 
and  privileges  of  our  society.  In  proof  of  genuineness  we  ap^jend 
our  seal.     Mrs.  Lucy  Jenkins,  President.     Mrs.  Baxter,  Secretary." 

Alas!  there  is  no  record  of  the  Friday  Morning  Club  ever  having 
admitted  men  as  associate  members,  but  we  offer  as  excuse  for  this 
neglect  the  same  one  that  they  offer  for  not  granting  us  the  ballot : 
"They  do  not  want  it." 

1  have  not  been  so  fortunate  as  to  find  tlic  minutes  of  those  early 
meetings  In  '79  and  '80  and  have  therefore  had  to  fall  back  upon 
my  treacherous  memory  for  many  of  these  incidents,  but  there  are 
doulitless  a  number  of  ladies  here  this  morning  who  can  recall  many 
things  of  interest  that  I  have  omitted. 

It  is  certain  that  the  Friday  Morning  Club  has  in  it  some  of  the 
same  blood  that  flowed  in  the  veins  of  that  early  Woman's  Club. 
and  is  entitled  to  claim  relationship  with  it  So  far  as  the  books 
show  which  I  have  access  to,  this  venerable  club  grandmother  must 
have  died  somewhere  in  1880.  Death  was  probably  caused  by  Mrs, 
C  M.  Severance  going  cast;  that  was  a  chock  that  early  club  life 
was  scarcely  strong  enough  to  resist. 


22U 


HISTORIOAL  BOCnSTT  OF  SOimiEaN   OALXPORmA 


From  1880  to  1885  there  s«ms  to  have  been  a  break  io  dub 
life  in  Los  Angeles.  At  least  I  have  failed  to  secure  any  records 
of  that  time,  but  a  revival  seems  lo  Iiave  taken  place  on  January 
8th.  1885.  On  that  date  thirty  ladies  met  in  Bryson's  hall  to  di»- 
cuss  organization.  Dr.  Fay,  who  was  always  an  adv'ance  guard 
when  a  liberal  movement  was  on  foot.  led  the  meeting,  and  with 
the  masculine  element  to  give  them  a  start,  the  ladies  once  more  set 
forth  on  permanent  organization. 

The  object  as  staled  in  article  2  of  the  constitution  is:  "the  in- 
tellcciiial  and  social  improvement  of  its  members,  and  any  kindrfd 
work  approved  by  the  club.  The  President  was  Mrs.  O  M.  Sever- 
ance; Vice-Presidents — Mrs.  M.  C.  Graham.  Mrs.  S.  C  Hubbell, 
Mrs.  II.  M.  Ross;  Treasurer.  Mrs.  E.  M.  Willard;  Secretary,  Mrs. 

C.  W.  Gibson;  Board — Mesdames  Frank  Gibson,  D.  G.  Stephens, 
F.  C.  Howes,  Pigne,  Bath,  and  Wills.  This  club  grandmother 
seems  lo  have  had  an  excellent  constitution  and  great  vitality,  as  she 
entered  at  once  upon  a  successful  career. 

The  cUib  first  turned  its  thoughts  toward  an  exhibit  of  wofnan's 
work  at  the  world's  fair  at  New  Orleans,  but  after  hearing  a  report 
from  their  committee.  Mrs.  D.  G.  Stephens  and  Mrs.  Hagan,  they 
withdrew  suddenly,  appalled  at  the  discouragenjents. 

The  first  formal  address  before  this  club  was  made  by  Mrs. 
Jeanne  Carr  on  "Women  in  Business,"  and  was  full  of  interest 
Miss  Clark  and  Miss  Macy  kept  Ihcm  informed  on  kindergartens. 
But  the  chief  interest  doubtless  centered  around  the  An  Committee, 
of  which  Miss  Willis  was  chairman,  and  her  paper  on  Micliad 
Angcio,  illustrated  by  a  large  collection  of  photographs,  must  have 
been  a  treat  indeed.  This  of  ccnirse  was  before  Mrs.  Wills  had  de- 
serted art  and  taken  to  cooking  schools  and  work,  but  these  things 
show  that  the  world  moves,  and  doubtless  cooking  will  become  an 
art  if  artistic  people  take  bold  of  it. 

The  Flower  Festival  Home,  which  is  one  of  the  most  creditable 
and  successful  institutions  of  our  city,  had  in  a  measure  its  origin 
in  this  woman's  club  of  1885.     The  work  section,  consisting  of  Mrs. 

D.  G.  Stephens.  Mrs.  Booth  and  Mrs.  Howes,  announced  as  their 
subject  for  March  7th.  1885.  the  "Condition  and  wages  of  working 
women  of  Los  Angeles."  Committees  were  appointed  to  inquire 
into  the  subject  and  report  on  that  date.  Mrs.  Stephens  and  Sirs. 
Frank  Gibson  investigated  the  matter  thoroughly  and  reported  tliat 
the  most  urgent  need  was  for  a  wdl-conductcd,  inexpensive  family 
biarding-housc,  a  home  where  young  women  on  small  salaries  could 
have  the  comforts  and  protection  of  a  home  at  slight  expense.     Con- 


XAKLY   CLOD   LTPB  IN   LOS   ANORLES 


221 


siderable  enthusiasm  was  aroused,  and  the  ladies,  Mrs.  Gibson  and 
Mrs.  Stephens — we  all  know  of  what  stuff  they  are  made — having 
once  taken  up  a  cause  were  not  disposed  to  desert  it  hastily.  The 
subject  was  continued  for  several  meetings  and  finally  culminated  in 
Flower  Festival  being  given  to  raise  funds  toward  establishing  a 
home  for  working  girls.  Its  success  was  beyond  all  expectation, 
and  as  the  enthusiasm  grew  and  the  work  increased  a  separate  so- 
ciety was  formed  under  the  name  of  the  "Flower  Festival  Society," 
making  the  Home  their  special  work.  The  new  society  drew 
largely  from  the  working  element  of  the  Woman's  Club,  but  they 
could  not  have  been  enlisted  in  a  better  cause.  And  it  seems  to  me 
that  in  no  way  can  a  woman's  club  better  fulfill  its  mission  tliaii  as  a 
center  from  which  collective  thought  crystallizes  into  individual  ac- 
tion. If  our  club  life  succeeds  in  suggesting  to  any  of  us  a  field  for 
efficient  individual  work  it  certainly  has  not  been  in  vain.  But  ef- 
fective work  to  be  done  by  a  society  must  be  specific,  must  be  clearly 
defined.  It  cannot  be  effectively  done  by  forming  a  society  and  se- 
lecting the  work  afterward.  The  society  must  be  formed  for  the 
work — not  the  work  for  the  socletj-.  Such  was  the  method  of  the 
Flower  Festival  Society,  and  its  work  has  long  since  ceased  to  be 
an  experiment,  it  has  become  history.  You  all  know  it,  or  may 
know  it  if  you  are  interested  to  look  tt  up. 

One  other  thing  inaugurated  by  this  club  and  successfully  carried 
out  was  the  nomination  and  election  of  Mrs.  Anna  S.  Avcrill  as  a 
member  of  the  School  B<)ard  of  Los  Angeles  in  November,  1886. 
The  work  was  done  almost  entirely  through  the  primaries.  A  com- 
mittee of  ladies,  three  in  number,  c;ilied  upon  the  leading  politicians 
of  each  party  and  asked  theni  to  present  Mrs.  AveriU's  name  for 
nomination.  The  gentlemen  took  hold  of  the  matter  not  only  cheer- 
fully but  with  enthusiasm  and  carried  it  forward  to  success  without 
It  being  necessary  for  the  women  to  patrol  even  the  outskirts  of  the 
political  campaign. 

These  arc_only  a  few  of  the  many  things  our  chib  grandmothers 
busied  themselves  about,  and  as  I  look  through  the  records  of  their 
deeds  and  misdeeds  I  am  struck  with  the  courage  of  their  convic- 
tions and  am  surprised  that  Los  Angeles  docs  not  come  nearer  being 
a  model  city  when  we  consider  all  their  efforts  in  her  behalf. 

This  club  grandmother,  bom  January  8lh,  1885.  lived  until  May 
5th,  1888.  She  seems  to  have  expired  on  that  date  in  the  middle 
of  a  sentence,  evidently  from  exhaustion  brought  on  by  too  violent 
work  at  a  Rower  festival. 

And  sn  passed  away  two  loved  and  honored  societies,  but  their 


ass 


HDTOBIOAL  SOCOETY  OF  80CTHKBK  CAlZVOBnA 


works  do  follow  them,  and  from  their  ashes  has  ^rung  the  Friday 
Morning  Qub,  fully  armed  for  battle  when  a  principle  is  involved, 
but  loving  peace  more  than  war,  yet  ever  ready  to  extend  the  hand 
of  fellowship  to  earnest  effort  in  any  good  cause.  But  the  world 
moves  only  so  fast  as  the  individual  moves,  and  if  we  each  push  on 
a  little  every  year  to  better  thinking,  we  will  have  made  our  lai^^ 
contribution  to  the  world's  betterment;  for  it  is  what  we  make  of 
ourselves  rather  than  what  we  make  others  do  that  counts  for  real 
growth.  And  if  the  Friday  Morning  Qub  makes  three  hundred 
women  thoughtful,  fair  minded,  joyous,  loving  justice  as  wdl  as 
mercy,  it  has  done  a  work  of  which  tt  need  not  fed  ashamed. 


IN  THE  OLD  PUEBLO  DAYS 

(Homes  and  Home  Life  in  Old  Los  Angdes.) 

BY  J.  M.  aUINN. 

In  its  old  pueblo  (or  village)  days  Los  Angeles  was  not  a  thing 
of  beauty;  indeed  it  was  homely  almost  to  ugliness.  TTiere  were  no 
freaks  or  fads  in  its  architecture;  no  external  ornamentation  of  its 
dwellings,  and  but  little  attempt  at  variety  in  house  building.  The 
houses  were  nearly  all  of  one  style — square  walled,  flat  roofed  and 
one  story  high. 

In  the  old  pueblo  days  every  man  was  his  own  architect  and 
master  builder.  He  had  no  clioice  of  material,  or,  rather  with  his 
ease  loving  disposition  he  chose  to  use  that  which  was  most  con- 
venient; and  that  was  adobe  clay,  made  Into  sun-dried  brick.  Time 
was  the  essence  of  building  contracts  then.  When  a  prospective 
house  builder  was  granted  a  lot  from  the  public  domain,  the  Ayun- 
tamiento  (town  council)  usually  gave  him  a  year's  time  in  which  to 
complete  bis  house;  if  it  was  not  convenient  for  him  to  finish  it  in 
that  time  It  was  easy  to  get  an  extension. 

The  Indian  was  the  brick-maker  and  he  toiled  for  his  task-mas- 
ters like  the  Hebrews  of  old  for  the  Egyptian,  making  bricks  with- 
out straw — and  without  pay.  There  were  no  labor  strikes  in  the 
building  trades  then.  The  Indian  was  the  builder  and  he  did  not 
not  know  how  to  strike  for  higher  wages.  The  adobe  bricks  were 
moulded  into  form  and  set  up  to  dry.  Through  the  long  summer 
days,  they  baked  in  the  hot  sun,  first  on  one  side,  then  on  the  other; 
and  when  dried  through  they  were  laid  in  the  wall  with  mud  mor- 
tar. Then  the  walls  had  to  dr>'  and  dry  perhaps  through  another 
summer  before  the  house  was  habitable. 

The  prevailing  roofing  material  was  bituminous  pitch  or  "brea,'^ 
brought  from  the  mineral  tar  springs  west  of  the  city,  where  it 
boiled  up  from  the  earth.  There  was  but  little  wood  used  in  house 
construction  then.  It  was  only  the  aristocrats  who  could  indulge 
in  the  luxury  of  wooden  floors.  Most  of  the  houses  had  fliwrs 
of  the  beaten  earth.  Such  floors  were  cheap  and  durable.  A  door 
of  rawhide  shut  out  intruders  and  wooden-barred  windows  admitted 
sunshine  and  air.     Nails  were  not  essential    in    house     building-. 


Thongs  of  rawhide  took  their  place  as  fasteners.    It  toolc  time  bat 
it  cost  very  hlllc  money  to  build  a  house  in  the  old  pueblo  days. 

There  were  some  comfortable  and  commodious  houses  in  the 
old  Iowa  The  "Palado  de  Don  Abel,'"  (Palace  of  Don  Abd 
Steams)  as  the  natives  called  it,  which  covered  the  present  site 
of  the  Baker  block  was  large;  and  it  was  luxurious  in  its  ap- 
pointments within;  and  so  was  the  Carrillo  house,  and  the  "casa" 
of  Alvarado  and  some  others;  but  externally  even  these  were  not 
handsome  or  imposing. 

In  its  old  pueblo  days  Los  Angeles  was  not  aesthetic.  Beauty 
was  sacriftced  to  utility  and  ease.  "Tlie  majority  of  tts  buildings." 
said  Don  Leonardo  Cota  in  the  Ayunlamiento,  sixty  years  ago, 
"present  a  gloomy,  a  melancholy  aspect,  a  dark  and  forbidding  as- 
pect ihai  resembles  the  Catacombs  of  Ancient  Rome  more  than 
the  habitations  of  a  free  people."  There  was  no  glass  in  the  win- 
dows of  the  houses.  There  were  no  lawns  in  front,  no  sidewalks 
and  no  shade  trees.  Th  streets  were  ungraded  and  unsprinklcd,  and 
when  the  dashing  "caballeros"  used  them  for  race  courses,  dense 
clouds  of  yellow  dust  enveloped  the  houses.  There  were  no  slaugh- 
ter-houses and  each  family  had  its  own  "matanza"  in  close  proxim- 
ity to  the  kitchen  where  the  bullocks  were  converted  into  beef.  In 
the  course  of  time  the  ghastly  skulls  of  the  slaughtered  bovines 
formed  veritable  Golgothas  in  the  back  yards.  The  crows  acted 
as  scavengers  and  when  not  employed  in  the  street  department 
removing  garbage,  sat  on  the  roofs  of  the  houses  and  cawed  dis- 
mally. They  increased  and  multiplied  until  the  "Plague  of  the 
Crows"  com|)elled  the  Ayuntamiento  to  offer  a  bounty  for  their 
destructiuu. 

The  legendary  of  the  hearth  stone  and  the  fireside,  which  fills 
so  large  a  place  in  the  home  life  and  literature  of  the  Anglo-Saxon, 
had  no  part  in  the  domestic  system  of  the  old  time  Califomian. 
He  had  no  hearth-stone  and  no  fireside;  nor  could  lliat  pleasing 
fiction  of  Santa  Glaus  coming  down  the  chimney  with  toys  on 
Cj.ristmas  eve,  that  so  delights  the  citildren  of  today,  have  been 
understood  by  the  youthful  Angelenos  of  long  ago.  There  were 
no  chimneys  in  the  old  pueblo.  The  only  means  of  warming  the 
houses  by  artificial  heat  was  a  pan  (brasero)  of  coals  set  on  the 
floor.  The  people  lived  out  of  doors,  in  the  open  air  and  invigorat- 
ing sunshine;  and  they  were  healthy  and  long-lived.  Their  houses 
were  places  to  sleep  in  or  shelter  from  rain. 

Tlie  furniture  was  meagre  and  mostly  home-made.  A  few 
benches  or  rawhide  bottomed  chairs  to  sit  on;  a  rough  table;  a 


I 


IN  THl  OLD  PUKDLO  DAYS     ^^^F     335 

chest  or  two  to  keep  the  family  finery  in;  a  few  cheap  prints  of 
saints  on  the  walls;  these  formed  the  decorations  and  furnishing  of 
the  living  rooms  of  the  common  people.  The  bed  was  the  pride 
and  the  ambition  of  the  house-wife.  Even  in  humble  dwellings, 
sometimes,  a  snowy  counterpane  and  lace-trimmed  pillows  decor- 
ated a  couch  whose  base  was  a  dried  bullock's  hide  stretched  on 
a  rough  frame  of  wood.  A  shrine  dedicated  to  the  patron  saint 
of  the  household  was  a  very  essential  part  of  a  well-regulated  liome. 

Ill  old  pueblo  days  the  fashions  in  dress  did  not  change  every 
year.  A  man  could  wear  liis  grandfather's  hat  and  his  coat,  too, 
and  not  be  out  of  the  fashion.  Robinson,  writing  of  California  in 
1829,  says,  "The  people  were  still  adhering  to  the  costumes  of  the 
past  century."  It  was  not  until  after  1834,  when  the  "Ilijar 
Colonists"  brought  the  latest  fashions  from  the  City  of  Nfexico, 
that  the  style  of  dress  for  men  and  women  began  to  change.  The 
next  change  took  place  after  the  .American  conquest-  Only  two 
changes  in  half  a  century — a  garment  had  to  be  very  durable  to 
become  unfashionable  then. 

Filial  obedience  and  respect  for  parental  authority  were  early 
impressed  upon  the  minds  of  the  children.  A  child  was  never  too 
old  or  loo  large  to  be  exempt  from  ptmishment. 

Stephen  C.  Foster  used  to  relate  an  amusing  case  of  parental 
disciplining  he  once  saw.  An  old  lady,  a  grandmother,  was  belabor- 
ing, with  a  barrel  stave,  her  son,  a  man  30  years  of  ge.  The  son 
had  done  something  of  which  the  mother  did  not  approve.  She 
sent  for  him  to  come  over  to  the  maternal  home  to  receive  his  pun- 
ishment. He  came.  She  took  him  out  to  the  metaphorical  wood- 
shed, which  in  this  case  was  the  portico  of  her  house,  where  she 
stood  him  up  and  proceeded  to  administer  corporal  punishment. 
With  the  resounding  thwacks  of  the  stave  she  would  exclaim :  "I'll 
teach  you  to  behave  yourself."  "I'll  mend  your  manners,  sir." 
"N()W  you'll  be  good,  won't  you?"  The  big  man  took  his  punish- 
ment without  a  thought  of  resisting  or  rebelling.  In  fact,  he  seemed 
to  enjoy  it.  It  was.  no  doubt,  to  him,  a  forcible  and  feeling  re- 
minder of  his  boyho<jd  days. 

In  the  earlier  years  of  the  pueblo,  great  respect  was  shown  those 
in  authority  and  the  authorities  were  strict  in  requiring  deference 
fiom  their  constituents.  In  the  pueblo  archives  of  1828,  are  the 
records  of  the  impeachment  trial  of  a  certain  "Judge  of  the  Plains." 
The  principal  duty  of  such  a  judge  was  to  decide  cases  of  disputed 
ownership  of  stray  cattle.  This  judge  seems  to  have  had  a  very 
exalted  opinion  of  the  dignity  of  his  office.    Among  other   com- 


■moucAL  Bocnrr  or  aocrasui  CAXjroBnA 


pUxiils  of  his  arfaitraiy  actioRS,  was  as  one  £rom  young  Pedro 
Sanchez,  wbo  testified  that  the  jadge  had  tried  to  ride  his  bone 
over  him  in  the  street,  because  he,  Sanchez,  wodd  not  take  o6f  his 
hat  and  stand  uncovered  while  the  "Juei  dd  Campo"  rode  post. 

In  these  days  when  municipal  and  state  taxation  have  bccocDC 
9o  cjLcesaivc,  it  is  pleasuit  to  know  that  there  was  a  time  in  our 
city's  history,  when  there  were  oo  taxes  on  land  and  improvements^ 
that  there  was  a  time  when  men's  pleasures  and  vices  paid  the  cost 
of  gDveming-  Under  Mexican  rule  the  municipal  funds  were  ob- 
tained from  the  roentie  on  wine  and  brandy;  from  the  licenses  of 
saloons  and  other  business  houses;  from  the  tariff  on  imports;  from 
pennits  to  give  dances;  from  fines  and  from  the  fees  of  bull-rings 
and  cock-pits.  Although  in  the  early  "40's"  the  pueblo  or  the 
ciudad.  for  it  had  become  a  dtj  then,  had  a  population  of  2,000. 
and  aitliough  the  municipal  council  exercised  jurisdiction  over  6,000 
square  miles  outside,  the  revenues  rarely  exceeded  $1,000  a  year; 
yet  witlt  this  small  amount  the  municipal  authorities  r^n  a  city  and 
county  goveniment  and  kept  out  of  debL  It  did  not  cost  much  to 
nm  a  government  in  those  days.  There  was  no  army  of  high  sal- 
aried oAciaU  then,  with  a  camp  following  of  political  heelers  quar- 
tered on  the  municipality  and  fed  from  the  public  crib  at  the  ex- 
pense of  the  taxpayer.  Politicians  may  have  been  no  more  honest 
then  than  now,  but  where  there  was  nothing  to  steal  there  was  no 
stealing.  The  old  alcaldes  and  regidores  were  wise  enough  not  to 
put  temptation  in  the  way  of  the  politicians  and  thus  they  kept 
them  reasonably  honest,  or  least,  they  kept  them  from  plundering 
the  taxpayers  by  the  simple  expedient  of  having  no  taxpayers. 

The  only  salaried  officers  in  the  days  when  the  most  illustrious 
Ayuntamicnio  was  the  ruling  power  in  Los  Angeles,  were  the  Sec- 
retary of  that  body,  the  Sindico  or  Tax  Collector,  and  the  School- 
master. Forty  dollars  was  the  monthly  salary  paid  the  Secretary, 
who  was  also  clerk  of  the  Alcalde's  court;  the  Sindico  received  a 
commission  on  collections;  and  the  Schoolmaster  was  paid  $15  per 
month.  If  like  Oliver  Twist,  he  cried  for  more,  he  was  dismissed 
"for  evident  unfitness  for  his  duties."  The  other  officials  took  their 
pay  in  the  glory  of  holding  office. 

Tlie  functions  of  the  various  departtr»ents  of  the  city  government 
were  most  economically  performed.  Street  cleaning  and  the  light- 
ing of  the  city  were  provided  for  on  a  sort  of  automatic  or  self-act- 
ing principle.  There  was  an  ordinance  that  required  each  owner 
of  a  house,  every  Saturday,  to  sweep  in  front  of  his  premises  to  the 
middle  of  the  street.     His  neighbor,  on  the  opposite  side  doing  the 


I 

I 


IN   THE  OLD    PUEBLO   DAYS 


227 


I 


same^  met  him  half  way,  and  so  the  street  was  cleaned  wiUioul 
expense  to  the  city.  There  was  another  ordinance  that  required 
each  owner  of  a  house  of  more  than  two  rooms  on  a  travelled  street 
to  hang  a  lighted  lantern  in  front  at  his  door  at  night  from  dark  to 
eight  o'clock  in  winter  and  to  nine  in  summer.  So  the  city  was 
at  no  expense  for  lighting.  There  were  fines  for  the  nt^lcct  of 
these  duties.  The  crows  had  a  contract  for  removing  the  garbage. 
There  were  no  fines  imposed  on  them.  Evidently  they  were  efficient 
city  officials.  It  is  said  Uiat  "every  dog  has  liis  day."  There  was 
one  day  each  week  that  the  dogs  of  the  old  pueblo  did  not  have,  on 
which  to  roam  about,  and  that  was  Monday.  Every  Monday  was 
dog  catcher's  day;  and  was  set  apart  by  ordinance  for  the  kilJ.nx 
of  tramp  dugs.  Woe  betide  the  unfortunate  canine  which,  on  that 
day,  escaped  from  his  kennel  or  broke  loose  from  his  tether  and 
took  to  the  street.  A  swift  flying  lasso  encircled  his  neck  and  the 
breath  was  quickly  choked  out  of  his  body.  Monday  was  a  "dies 
irae,"  an  evil  day,  to  the  boy  with  a  dog;  and  the  dog-catcher  was 
properly  abhorred  and  despised  then  as  now  by  every  boy  who  pos- 
sessed a  canine  pet. 

There  was  no  paid  police  department  in  the  old  pueblo.  Every 
houses  with  their  clay  walls,  earthen  floors  and  rawhide  doors  were 
as  nearly  fireproof  as  a  human  habitation  could  be  made.  So  there 
was  no  need  of  a  fire  department.  I  doubt  whether  any  "muchacho" 
of  the  old  regime  ever  saw  a  house  on  fire.  The  boys  of  that  day 
never  experienced  the  thrilling  pleasure  of  running  to  a  fire.  What 
boys  sometimes  miss  by  being  bom  too  soon  ! 

There  was  no  paid  police  department  in  the  old  pueblo.  Every 
able  bodied  young  man  was  subject  to  military  duty  and  had  to 
take  his  turn  at  standing  guard.  These  guards  policed  tlie  city  but 
were  not  paid. 

Viewed  from  our  standpoint  of  high  civilization,  life  in  the  old 
pueblo  was  a  monotonous  round  of  wear>'ing  sameness — une\'ent- 
ful  and  uninteresting.  Yet  the  people  of  that  day  seem  to  have 
extracted  a  great  deal  of  pleasure  from  it.  Undoubtedly  they  missed, 
by  living  so  long  ago,  many  things  that  we,  in  this  highly  enlight- 
ened age,  have  come  to  regard  as  necessities  of  our  existence:  but 
Ihey  also  missed  the  harrowing  cares,  the  vexations  and  the  exces- 
sive taxation  both  mental  and  municipal,  that  prematurely  furrow 
our  brows  and  whiten  our  locks. 


THE  PIOUS  FUND 


BY  REV.   FATBE*  ADAH,  V.  6. 

In  1857  Hon.  John  T.  DoyJe  was  authorized  by  the  Most  Rev. 
Archbishop  Atemany  of  San  Francisco,  and  the  Right  Rev.  Bishop 
Amat  of  Monterey  and  Los  Angdes,  to  take  steps  to  recover  for 
them  as  official  trustees  for  the  Catholic  dmfch  and  Catholic  people 
of  this  state,  the  sums  due  by  the  govenunent  of  Mexico  to  the 
cfanrch  on  account  of  the  "Pious  Fund  of  California" — the  property 
belonging  to  which  had  been  appropriated  by  Santa  Anna,  in  1842, 
to  the  use  of  the  public  treasury. 

It  is  my  purpose  this  e\'ening  to  show  how  the  Pious  Ftsnd 
originated  and  what  vicissitudes  it  was  subject  to. 

Tile  Spanish  monarchs.  from  the  time  of  the  discovery  of  Cali- 
fomiain  1542  hy  the  expedition  fitted  out  by  Coner,  cherished  the 
object  of  colonizing  this  ootmtrv  and  of  con\-erting  its  inhabitants 
to  the  Catholic  faith. 

Biany  expeditions  were  set  on  foot  at  the  expense  of  the  crown, 
for  a  century  and  a  half,  at  an  enormous  expense,  but  vithout  per- 
manent result.  Ven^as  tells  us  that  down  to  1697  the  kings  of 
Spain  really  had  no  permanent  foothold  in  the  vast  tcrriton*  which 
they  claimed  under  the  name  of  California. 

The  Spanish  go\-emment  as  early  as  1643  invited  the  Jesuits  to 
accompany  Admiral  Pedro  Portal  dc  Casanale  in  his  expedition 
to  California,  which,  like  others  attempted  previously,  failed. 

The  last  expedition  undertaken  by  the  crown  was  equipped  in 
pursuance  of  a  royal  oedula  in  1697;  but  it  did  not  sail  till  1683.  It 
was  confided  to  the  command  of  .Admiral  Otondo.  and  the  spiritual 
administration  of  the  country  was  again  entrusted  to  the  Jesuits, 
the  celebrated  Father  Kino  accompanying  the  expedition.  In  spite 
of  many  precautions  taken  and  an  expenditure  of  $225,000,  tt  fatted. 
No  wonder  that  in  a  Junta  general  (a  public  meeting  imder  the 
ampices  of  the  viceroy)  it  was  determined  that  "the  reducti'-n  of 
California  by  the  means  theretofore  relied  on  was  simply  an  inv 
possibility.  and  that  the  only  mode  of  accomplishing  it  was  to  in- 
vite the  Jesuits  to  undertake  its  whole  charge,  at  the  expense  of  the 
crown." 


I 
I 


THE   PIOUS   FUND 


229 


The  fathers  declined  the  offer,  believing  as  they  probably  did, 
that  the  conduct  of  the  royal  officers,  civil  and  military,  was  the 
probable  cause  of  the  failure  of  former  expeditions.  However,  their 
services  as  missionaries  were  freely  placed  at  the  disposal  of  the 
government 

Vcnegas  tells  us  thai  individual  members  of  the  society,  animated 
by  a  zeal  for  the  spread  of  the  Christian  faith  in  California,  pro- 
posed to  undertake  the  whole  charge  of  the  conversion  of  the  coun- 
try and  its  reduction  to  Christianity  and  civilization;  and  this  with- 
out ex|}cnse  to  the  crown,  on  condition  that  they  might  themselves 
select  tlic  civil  and  military  officers  to  be  employed.  This  plan  was 
finally  agreed  to,  and  on  the  5th  of  February,  1697,  the  necessary 
authority  was  conferred  on  Father  Juan  Maria  Salvatierra  and 
Francisco  Eusebio  Kino.  Two  conditions  were  required  by  the 
government,  viz:  (i)  lliat  possession  of  the  country  was  to  be 
taken  in  the  name  of  the  Spanish  crown,  and  (2)  that  the  royal 
treasury  was  not  to  be  called  on  for  any  of  the  expenses  of  the 
enterprise  without  the  express  order  of  the  king. 

Fathers  Kino  and  Salvatierra  solicited  and  received  from  various 
individuals  and  religious  bodies  voluntary  donations,  called 
limosnas.  or  alms.  The  funds  thus  collected  were  placed  in  their 
hands,  in  trust,  to  be  applied  to  the  propagation  of  the  Catholic 
faith  in  California,  by  preaching,  erection  of  church  edifices,  the 
founding  of  religious  schools  and  the  like,  and  under  the  same  sys- 
tem as  that  pursued  by  the  Jesuits  in  Paraguay,  Northern  Mexico, 
Canada,  India  and  elsewhere. 

Details  of  the  earliest  contributions  obtained  can  be  found  in 
Venegas'  "Notice  de  la  California,"  volume  2.  Besides  sums  given 
to  defray  immediate  expenses,  it  was  determined  to  establish  a  fund 
or  capital,  whose  income  should  form  a  permanent  endowment  for 
the  missions. 

The  first  cantribution.s  seem  to  have  been  by  the  congregation  of 
"Nuestra  de  los  Dolores/'  which  contributed  $10,000:  and  Don 
Juan  Caballero  y  Ozio  gave  $20,000  more.  These  donations  formed 
the  nucleus  of  the  "Pious  Fund."  Tt  was  increased  from  time  to 
time  by  others,  and  in  a  few  years  it  attained  great  magnitude  and 
importance. 

For  more  explicit  details,  one  could  read  a  "Papal  Anonimo,"  or 
Father  Palou.  with  "The  Informe  del  Director  General  de  Tempo- 
ralidades  y  Fondo  Piadoso,"  "Documcnto  para  la  Historia  de  Mex- 
ico," in  series,  Vol.  VI,  and  other  authors. 

Among  the  most  important  contributions  to  the  fund  was  one 


S80 


HUrrORIOAl.  BOCUTY   or  80DTKBRR  CU.lPOBniA 


by  tlie  Marquis  dc  Villa  Puente  and  his  wife,  who  in  1735,  besides 
bionc)'  duiiatioiis,  conveyed  tu  the  Society  of  Jesus,  by  deed,  their 
estates  and  property  of  great  value. 

With  Fathers  Kino  and  Salvatierra  were  associated  Fathers  Juan 
Ugartc  and  Francisco  Maria  Piccolo;  the  former  a  missionary  of 
singular  talent  and  a{)titude  for  the  management  of  business  a^Tairs, 
having  been  made  procurator,  or  man  of  business  for  tbe  missions 
located  in  Mexico.  Father  Kmo  was  unable  to  accompany  his  asso- 
ciates to  the  scene  of  their  labors,  and  the  mission  was  commenced 
by  Fathers  Salvatierra  and  Piccolo— who,  three  years  later,  were 
joined  by  Father  Ugarte.  These  missionaries  landed  in  an  un- 
known country  remote  from  all  supplies  and  coumtunications.  ac- 
companied by  a  corporal  and  five  men,  with  three  Indian  servants, 
aiming  at  no  less  an  object  tlian  the  spiritual  conquest  of  the  whole 
peninsula,  and  the  country*  to  the  north  of  it,  as  far  as  Cape  Mendo- 
cino. The  chronicles  of  the  obstacles  they  sunnounicd,  tl>c  priva- 
tions, sufferings  and  perils  to  which  they  wet*  exposed,  read  like  a 
romance,  and  is  full  of  instructioti.  Besides  the  chief  object  of 
bringing  the  native  population  into  the  fold  of  the  church,  these  men 
never  lost  sight  of  the  interests  of  learning  and  science,  They  ob- 
served and  chronicled  in  the  new  country  all  that  was  of  interest 
in  any  branch  of  human  knowledge. 

It  is  more  than  one  hundred  years  since  the  Jesuits  were  ex- 
pelled from  Lower  California,  yet  to  tliis  day  most  that  we  know  of 
its  geography,  climate  and  natural  history  is  derived  from  the  rela- 
tions o?  these  early  missionaries. 

The  "Pious  Fund"  continued  to  be  managed  by  the  Jesuits  till 
1768,  in  which  year  they  were  expelled  from  Mexico  by  royal  or- 
der. The  missions  of  Lower  California  were  confided  to  the  "Do- 
minicans" and  those  of  upper  California  to  the  "Franciscans."  The 
income  and  product  of  the  "Pious  Fund"  was  thereafter  ap- 
propriated to  the  missions  of  both  orders.  The  missions  were  de- 
signed, when  the  popidatiCHi  should  he  suf5ciently  itistructed,  to  be 
converted  into  parish  churches,  as  had  been  done  in  other  parts  of 
New  Spain. 

Father  Junipero  Scrra.  as  all  know,  was  the  first  President  of 
the  missions  of  Upper  California,  and  these  missions  were  governed 
by  him  and  his  successors  down  to  the  year  1836.  when  Francisco 
Garcia  Diego,  the  last  President  of  the  missions,  was  appointed  the 
first  Bishop  of  the  new  diocese. 

The  royal  decree  against  the  Jesuits  says :  "And  let  all  thdr 
temporalities  be  seized  in  my  name."     The  Crown  then  took  all  the 


I 


THB  nOUB  PrHD 


231 


estates  of  the  order,  including  those  of  the  "Pious  Fund,"  which, 
however,  was  held  in  trust  by  duly  appointed  ofticers.  The  income 
and  pnxluct  of  the  same  continued  to  be  devoted,  through  the  in- 
strumentality of  the  eccelesiastical  authorities,  to  the  reUgious  uses 
for  which  they  were  dedicated  by  the  donors. 

On  the  declaration  of  Mexican  independence,  Mexico  succeeded 
to  the  crown  of  Spain  as  trustee  of  the  "Pious  Fund,"  and  it  con- 
tinued to  be  maitagcd,  and  its  income  to  be  applied  as  before,  down 
to  September  19,  1836.  The  Catholic  religion  being  the  estab- 
lished religion  of  Mexico,  a  law  was  passed  in  1836  by  the  Mexican 
Congress  endowing  the  new  Bishopric  of  California  with  $6,000  per 
year  and  leaving  tJje  administration  of  the  "Pious  Fund"  to  said 
first  Bishop  and  his  successors.  On  February  8,  1842.  the  law  of 
1836  was  abrogated  by  a  decree  of  Santa  Ana,  then  President  of  the 
republic,  and  the  trust  was  again  devolved  to  the  State,  for  the  pur- 
[)ose  of  caro'ing  out  the  trust  as  established  by  its  donors  and 
founders. 

On  October  24,  1842.  the  same  Prc-iident  went  a  step  farther  and 
had  all  the  property  belonging  to  the  "Pious  Fund"  sold,  capital- 
izing on  the  basis  of  six  per  cent,  per  annum;  that  the  proceeds 
should  be  paid  into  the  public  treasun,*.  and  an  obligation  be  as- 
sumed by  the  government  to  pay  six  per  cent,  on  the  capital.  So 
far  no  attempt  had  been  made  to  destroy  or  contiscate  the  property 
or  impair  the  trust. 

At  that  time,  namely  1842,  the  "Pious  Fund"  property  was  sold 
for  ahntit  two  million  dollars.  The  Bishop  of  California  remon- 
strated earnestly  against  the  decree  of  October  24,  1842,  as  violation 
of  his  rights  and  the  sacredness  of  a  contract  with  the  Holy  See. 
In  1845  *'ic  General  Congress  passed  an  act  restoring  to  luni  and 
his  successors  the  properties  of  the  fund  yet  remaining  luisotd. 

There  is  no  doubt  that  the  Republic  of  Mexico  is  indebted  to  the 
Catholic  church  of  the  State  of  California  for  due  proportion  of  the 
interest  accrued  since  the  treaty  of  Queretaro  on  the  capital  of  the 
ifund  which  was  taken  into  the  national  treasury  by  the  Act  of  Oc- 
tober, 1842. 

Archbishop  Alemany  and  Bishop  Amat  claimed  from  the  gov- 
erimienl  of  Mexico,  as  American  citizens,  not  only  the  twenty-one 
installments  that  became  due  from  1840  to  1868.  with  interest 
from  the  year  last  named,  but  also  to  interest  on  these  installments 
from  the  time  they  l>ecame  payable.  According  to  Mr.  Wadswnrth. 
the  fund  amounted  to  Si. 436.033:  the  interest  at  six  per  cent,  per 
annum  would  be  S86.i6t.c>8;  of  which  the  missions  of  Upper  Cali- 


S82 


UIBTOStC&L  SOCIBTY   OF  SOCTHBRN   CALIFORMIA 


fornia  were  entitled  to  one-half,  that  is  to  say,  $43,080.99  pe 
num,  commaicing  with  the  year  1849  la  1868.  The  claim  against 
Mexico  was  entered  by  Archbishop  Alenuiny  and  Bishop  Ainat  as 
corporations  sole.  It  was  proved  by  their  lawyers  that  the  nature 
of  the  "Pious  Fund"  was  that  of  a  trust  for  religious  objects, 
namely,  the  propagation  of  the  Roman  Cathohc  religion  amongst 
the  Indians  of  both  Californias.  It  was  a  perpetual  trust  Mexico 
never  attempted  to  deny  or  impair  the  trust,  but  throughout  ex- 
pressed by  her  laws  its  sacredness,  its  religious  cliaractcr  and  her 
obligation  as  a  civilized  State  to  respect  it  accordingly. 

The  fund  was  founded  in  1735.  It  was  administered  by  the 
Jesuits  until  1762,  and  for  ten  years  by  the  Franciscans.  In  1772  it 
was  assumed  by  the  King  of  Spain.  In  1832  Mexico  recognized 
the  trust  and  its  religious  character;  in  1836  Mexico  transferred  the 
administration  of  the  fund  to  the  Bishop  of  the  Californias. 

The  "Pious  Fund,"  with  all  it*  receipts  and  disbursements,  was 
kept  not  only  on  a  separate  account,  but  as  one  of  its  outside  bu- 
reaus, in  which,  tliough  administered  by  the  government,  the  gov- 
ernment itself  claimed  no  interest.  Finally,  in  1845.  Mexico  passed 
an  act  for  restoring  the  fund  and  all  unsold  i)ro])crty  to  the  Bishop 
of  California.  'I'his  was  the  last  legislative  act  of  Mexico  dealing 
with  the  "Pious  Fund." 

Against  all  this  body  of  proofs,  the  opponents  asserted  that  the 
fund  and  its  object  were  more  political  than  religious:  that  the 
donors  contributed  in  that  view;  and  that  the  acts  of  Mexico  in 
dealing  with  tl>e  fund  were  for  national  and  political  objects.  But 
their  assertions  had  never  been  heard  before,  and  no  proof  to  sub- 
stantiate them  is  ofFered  by  them  or  can  be  offered;  they  turned  their 
backs  upon  the  history,  not  only  of  Spain  but  still  more  of  Mexico 
herself. 

AMOUNT  DUE  BY  VF.XTCO. 

So  long  ago  as  November  16,  1792.  the  total  capital  money  and 
property  of  the  "Pious  Fund"  was  almost  ."5829.000.  with  a  net  an- 
nual income  over  expenditures  of  almost  $8,500.  In  1842  it  had 
amounted  to  $1,700,000. 

The  Umpire  awarded  that  the  Mexican  government  on  account 
of  the  alwve  claim  had  to  pay  the  sum  of  $904,700.79. 

By  the  treaty  of  GuadaJoupe  Hidalgo,  the  Roman  Catholic 
church  of  Upper  California  acquired  the  political  status  of  Ameri- 
can citizenship,  and  its  portion  of  income  of  the  "Pious  Fimd"  there- 
after becoming  due  was  of  course  payable  to  American  citizens. 
The  claim  thus  became  cognizable  before  the  mixed  commission 


I 

I 

I 


THB  PioiiB  porro 


233 


holding-  its  labors  in  Washington.  It  was  presented  in  the  name  of 
the  Archbishop  and  Bisliops  of  the  Roman  Catholic  church,  repre- 
senting tlieir  flocks.  The  htigation  lasted  some  years.  The  argu- 
ment in  belialf  of  Mexico  was  conducted  by  Hon.  Caleb  Cushing 
and  Don  Manuel  Aspiroz.  an  eminent  Mexican  jurisconsult,  and  by 
John  T.  Doyle  on  behalf  of  the  claimants.  The  Commissioners 
differed  in  their  judgments,  the  Mexicans  holding  that  the  Cali- 
fornia missions  were  mere  political  establishments  and  the  funds 
provided  for  their  support  merely  public  funds.  Mr.  Wadsworth, 
as  American  Commissioner,  held  the  "Pious  Fund"  to  be  a  charity 
of  private  formulation,  and  a  sacred  tnist  put  into  the  hands  of 
Mexico  which  she  had  no  right  to  divert  for  other  purjioses. 

By  this  difference  of  opinion  the  case  of  the  claimants  was  nearly 
won,  when  put  into  the  hands  of  such  an  umpire  as  Sir  Edward 
Thornton,  who  could  not  by  a  judicial  decision  sanction  a  spoliation 
of  property  de\'oted  by  its  owners  to  works  of  piety  and  charity. 
His  decision  gave  to  the  church  of  CaHfomia  judgment  against 
Mexico  for  over  900,000  dollars!  This  decision  in  behalf  of  claim- 
ants was  given  in  Washington  November  1 1,  1875, 


ALFRED  ROBINSON 

BY  B.  D.  BARKOWS. 

Ill  the  reccHt  death  at  Sail  Francisco  oi  the  venerable  pioneer, 
Don  Alfredo  Robinson  at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty-eight  years, 
sixty-six  of  which  he  had  hved  in  California,  we  are  reminded  that 
the  last  member  of  tliat  notable  hrst  grxiup  of  Argonauts  who  settled 
in  California  about  the  year  1830  has  passed  away.  Col.  J.  J.  War- 
ner, who  was  born  the  same  year  as  Mr.  Robinson  ( 1807),  and  who 
reached  California  soon  after  the  arrival  of  Mr,  Robinson,  died  also 
in  this  same  year  in  which  the  death  of  his  friend  took  place.  Very 
few,  indeed,  even  of  the  second  group  who  came  a  decade  or  more 
or  less  later,  now  remain. 

Mr.  Robinson  was  probably  one  of  the  best  known,  both  by 
Califoniians  and  Americans,  of  the  early  English-speaking  settlers; 
and  he  was  held  in  high  estimation  by  all  who  kitew  him,  for  his 
thoroughly  sterling  character. 

He  was  bom  in  Boston  in  1807.  and  he  died  in  San  Francisco 
October  19,  1895.  He  made  several  trips  to  the  West  Indies  whilst 
yet  a  boy;  and  at  the  age  [»f  twenty-one  he  sailed  as  shipping  clerk 
on  the  "Brookline"  from  Boston,  bound  on  a  trading  expedition  for 
distant  California,  where  he  arrived  in  February,  1829.  The 
■'Brookline,"  of  which  Capt.  Wm.  A.  Gale  (father  of  the  wife  of 
Col.  J.  J.  Warner)  was  master,  and  Br>'ant  &  Sturgis,  of  Boston, 
were  owners,  bTOiight  probably  one  of  the  largest  and  best  assorted 
cargoes  of  miscellaneous  goods  that  had  ever  been  offered  to  the 
Califomians.  Mr.  Robinson  remained  in  California,  acting  for 
some  years,  as  agent  of  the  Boston  firm,  which  sent  him  out. 

In  1846  he  published  anonymously  his  "Life  in  California."  giv- 
ing an  account  ni  his  voyage,  and  of  the  quaint,  primitive  life  of 
the  iiiliabitants  of  this  then  isolated  province  of  Mexico,  as  he  found 
it  in  those  early  days.  This  book,  a  copy  of  which  is  in  our  Public 
Library,  will  be  found  to  possess  an  extraordinary  charm  for  those 
who  take  any  interest  in  early  California  annals.  It  is  a  standard 
work,  and  is  followed  by  most  writers  who  treat  on  California 
tor>'.  or  of  the  period  extending  from  1829  to  1842.  His  intimate 
business  and  social  relations  with  tlie  best  people  of  the  Territory 
afforded  him  excellent  opportimitles  for  the  acquirement  of 


I 

I 
I 


ia  his-  fl 

timate  H 

■ritory  I 

accu-  H 


ALFRED   B0B1X90N 


236 


rat«  iiiformatioa  His  duties  as  agent  for  the  Boston  firm  required 
him  to  travel  more  or  less  up  and  down  the  coast,  from  San  Diego 
ic  San  Francisco,  to  bargain  for  the  purchase  of  hides  and  tallow, 
and  for  ihc  sale  of  goods.  He  also  purchased  otter  skins;  buying, 
he  says,  about  3000  in  one  year,  whicli  be  sent  to  China,  tlie  best 
of  tliem  l>eing  worth  $60  apiece. 

In  the  early  part  of  1836  he  married  Anna  Maria,  a  daughter  of 
Captain  Jose  de  la  Guerra  y  Noriega  of  Santa  Barbara.  In  October 
of  the  next  year  he  sailed  with  his  wife  for  Boston  by  way  of  Hon- 
olulu on  the  "Califoniia,"  James  .'\rtlier,  master.  He  left  his  wife 
in  Boston,  in  order  that  she  might  acquire  an  English  education, 
while  he  made  another  trip  to  California  in  1840,  resuming  his  for- 
mer agency,  remaining  till  December,  1842,  when  he  went  East 
again,  on  the  American  ship  "Alert,"  via  Mazatlan,  carrj'ing  dis- 
patches to  tlie  U.  S.  Govenmieut  from  Commodore  Catesby  Jones; 
and  also  taking  gold  dust  from  the  placers  in  this  county,  which  had 
been  discovered  the  year  before,  to  the  Philadelphia  Mint,  for  Don 
Abel  Steams. 

From  1848  or  '49  he  became  the  agent  of  the  Pacific  Mail 
Steamship  Company.  It  is  said  that  it  was  mainly  owing  to  his 
advice  that  that  ctMiipany  decided  finally  to  locate  in  San  Francisco, 
their  preference  being  Angel  Island.  Mare  Island,  or  Bcnecia. 
After  selecting  the  latter  site  and  spending  a  large  amount  of  money 
there,  contrary  to  his  advice,  they  at  last  concluded  to  purchase  their 
present  location  in  San  Francisco,  which  is  but  a  very  small  ix)rtion 
of  the  donation  whicli  the  city  had  previously  offered  through  him 
to  the  company  grattiitously,  the  same  projierty  now  being  worth 
several  millions  of  dollars. 

In  after  years  Mr.  Robinson  acted  for  a  long  time  as  agent  for 
the  extensive  Steams  estate  of  this  county.  Mrs.  Robinson  died  in 
1855.  I  remcmhcr  seeing  her  that  year  when  she  came  here  on  a 
visit.  She  was  a  splendid  looking  woman,  then  in  the  tlower  of  her 
youth,  and  possessing  all  the  characteristic  charms  that  distin- 
guislied  Ihe  Noriegas. 

The  elaborate  account  given  by  Dana  in  his  "Two  Years  Be- 
fore the  Mast."  of  the  ceremonies  of  the  grand  wedding  at  Santa 
Barbara  is  in  fact  an  account  of  the  marriage  of  Mr  Robinson  and 
Scnortta  de  la  Guerra  y  Noriega.  There  were  bom  to  this  union 
eight  children,  of  whom  but  one.  a  son.  I  Iwlicve.  is  now  living. 
The  Noriega  family  was  one  of  the  most  prominent  in  California 
in  the  early  part  of  this  century. 

Mr.  Robinson  witnessed  the  transition  of  California  from  a 


286 


niSTORIOAL  SOCIETY   OP  SOUTHERN   CALIFOKNIA 


Sparsely  settled  province  of  Mexico  to  a  great  Stale  of  tliis  Union 
oi  nearly  a  million  and  a  half  inhabitants.  He  saw  the  gradual 
changes  from  the  mission  era  to  the  pastoral  period;  from  the  pas- 
toral to  tlie  mining,  from  the  mining  to  the  agricultural  and  horti- 
cultural and  commercial  epochs,  from  the  Spanish  to  the  Anglo- 
American  regime;  from  the  dominance  of  Mexican  to  that  of  Amer- 
ican laws,  and  from  the  principal  use  by  the  pcopJe  of  the  Spanish 
language,  to  that  used  by  the  Anglo-Saxon  races.  Indeed,  but  very 
few  of  the  present  residents  of  California  have  any  idea  of  the  won- 
drous changes  he  saw,  from  the  time  the  ship  in  which  he  came  65 
years  ago  entered  the  placid  waters  of  San  Diego  and  San  Francisco 
bays,  until  his  death  last  month  in  San  Francisco.  Of  all  those  of 
mature  age,  men  or  women,  Califomians  or  foreigners,  whom  he 
found  here  on  his  first  arrival,  verj-  few  indeed  have  sun-ived  him. 
Tlie  scenes  in  which  he  participated  and  the  actors  thereof,  have 
passe<l  away,  and  seem  to  us  of  today,  almost  as  unreal  as  the  un- 
substantial stuff  which  dreams  arc  made  of. 

Mr.  Charles  R.  Johnson,  also  on  early  pioneer  and  still  a  resident 
of  this  city,  is  a  nephew  of  Mr.  Robinson. 


VALUE  OF  A  HISTORICAL  SOCIETY 

WALTER  It  BACON 

The  study  and  preservation  of  the  History  of  California  is  the 
chief  object  of  this  society,  and  I  present  you  these  few  words  for 
the  puqiose  of  fixing  attention  ujwn  this  object,  and  demonstrating 
the  utility  of  the  society,  as  one  of  the  conservators  of  good  gov- 
ernment, and  a  considerable  factor  in  the  advancement  of  civiliza- 
tion, and  if  this  is  shown,  each  member  shonld  require  himself  to 
devote  such  share  of  his  time  and  energy  to  its  advancement  as  is 
proportionate  to  the  importance  of  the  object  and  results. 

No  country  or  community  advances  except  through  the  patriot- 
ism of  its  people:  it  might  be  said,  the  intelligent  patriotism  of  its 
people.  Patrioitsm  is  love  of  country,  and  intelligent  patriotism  is 
only  possible  when  the  patriot  knows  of  the  lives,  deeds  and  charac- 
ters of  the  citizens  of  his  cotmtry  who  liave  ser\'ed  it  as  to  make  it 
worthy  of  his  patriotic  love.  Love  of  home  is  inlierent  in  humanity 
whether  savage  or  civilized,  but  love  of  country  is  the  property  only 
of  those  peoples  who  have  so  far  advanced  as  to  make  realities  of 
abstract  ideas,  and  then  should  only  be  present  when  something  in 
the  history  of  that  country  and  its  people  has  placed  it  in  a  jKisition 
entitling  it  to  be  held  as  an  example  worthy  of  cmtdation  by  civilized 
men. 

We  love  our  coimtry  because  certain  men  in  humble  station  more 
than  three  hundred  and  fifty  years  ago  chose  it  as  a  place  in  which 
to  set  up  and  put  in  force  the  simple  doctrine  that  men  must  be 
allowed  freedom  of  conscience  in  the  worship  of  God,  and  because 
the  descendants  of  these  men  and  others  of  kindred  belief  taking 
hold  of  that  doctrine  as  a  verity  and  as  established  of  God  himself, 
added  to  it  certain  concomitant  deductions  including  the  declaration 
that  "all  men  are  created  equal  and  endowed  by  the  Creator  with 
inalienable  right  to  life,  liberty  and  the  pursuit  of  happiness,"  and 
in  this  land  of  ours,  with  singleness  of  purpose,  fought  out  the  fight 
against  the  doctrines  conceived  of  old  by  devils  in  the  human  form 
of  Kings  and  self-appointed  spiritual  rulers  to  which  their  short 
creed  was  opposed. 

They  triumphed,  but  it  only  through  history  that  we  know  o£ 
it;  it  is  only  through  histon,-  and  tradition  which  is  one  form  of 
history,  that  wc  even  know  that  George  Washington  ever  lived  and 


388 


nisTftiucAL  socurr  ot  MVUau  cautdbioa 


• 


by  his  military  gmius  and  steadfastness  wrested  the  political 

trol  of  this  coantry  front  the  Crown  ot  EngUutd.  and  as  Pressdenl 
afterwards,  set  an  example  of  ihe  rolcr  great  enough  to  dTacc  itself; 
do  nothing  inn  for  the  present  welfare  and  future  ^lory  of  his 
country,  and  silently  endnre  the  malicious  carping  of  small  critics, 
in  onler  that  his  far-reaching  plans  of  state  might  be  disctissed  and 
adopted  by  the  people  out  uf  ^cl! -knowledge — only  exercised  by  free 
men.  The  great  deeds  of  those  gone  before  ha^'e  ever  been  the  ior 
spiration  to  good  deeds  by  the  living,  but  without  history  to 
chronicle  and  hand  them  down,  so  far  as  the  later  generations  go, 
the>'  may  as  well  never  have  been  enacted,  for  without  knowledge 
of  them  there  can  be  no  incentive  drawn  from  tliem.  Herodotus 
has  been  called  the  Father  of  History;  he  it  was  who  first  refused  to 
be  content  with  the  chronicle  of  the  names  of  reigning  Kings,  and 
survivors  of  battles.  Init  sujiplemenied  these  by  philosophical  deduc- 
tions, showing  what  led  up  to  and  what  flowed  from  these  battles, 
and  with  reflections  upon  the  effea  upon  his  poeple  of  the  acts  or 
line  of  policy  of  the  King. 

In  forecasting  results  of  state  policy,  we  judge  lai^ely,  al 
solely,  of  what  the  fimire  will  bring  forth  by  what  the  past  has 
complishcd.  and  this  we  can  only  know  by  consulting  histop>-. 
fine  flower  of  endeavor  is  best  nourished  in  the  light  of  accomplish- 
ment of  others,  and  these  are  the  things  seized  upon  by  history  and 
by  it  cr)-sullizcd — prcscr\-ed,  as  in  the  clear  amber,  and  held  up  to 
us  to  be  forever  emulated. 

"If  at  6rst  you  don't  succeed,  try  again."  is  a  trite  saying  and 
contains  good  advice,  but  without  example  and  illustration,  is  at 
lutcly  without  value  to  tlie  great  majority,  and  for  these  exain}>tes 
and  illustrations  we  turn  almost  solely  to  history.  Who  has  ever 
read  Xenophen's  account  of  the  march  of  the  ten  thousand  Gredcs 
without  feeling  the  thrill  of  emulation  always  excited  by  the  recita- 
tion of  brave  deeds,  and  without  retaining  something  which  in  the 
time  of  trial  rises  within  him  and  gives  him  cour;^. 

As  I  have  intimated,  abstract  ideas  are  verities;  we  are  guided 
by  them,  in  fact  we  worship  Ihem.  TTie  deeds  of  great  men  gone,' 
in  time  come  to  r^resent  ideas;  in  fact  beoime  itieas.  and  under  the 
clarifying  and  refining  treatment  of  histor>-  we  treat  them  in  the 
abstract.  It  is  the  faculty  of  doing  this  that  marks  the  line  between 
brute  instinct  and  human  intelligence;  in  the  knowledge  of  this  fac- 
ulty the  great  dramatists  write  and  present  tlieir  plays.  There  are 
none  of  us  but  can  enjoy  and  appreciate  the  dramatic  or  tragic  play 
in  which  but  a  mere  suggestion  of  a  point  is  made  by  the  words  of 


VALUE   OF   A   HiarOBICAt,   80CIETY 


239 


ihe  actor,  but  which  with  tlie  aid  of  the  cultivated  imagination  of 
the  hearer,  becomes  a  hving  sentient  idea  embracing  the  whole  range 
ot  man's  life  and  the  entire  scope  of  his  passions.  It  is  this  faculty 
thac  enables  us  to  personify  freedom  and  typify  patriotism  in  uur 
flag,  so  that  while  in  view  of  the  stars  and  stripes  on  any  occasion,  a 
mere  suggestion  of  its  origin  and  office,  sets  in  motion  a  train  of 
thought  that  sends  burning  impulses  from  head  to  heart  and  stirs 
the  soul  to  its  very  foundations. 

Our  society  is  engaged  in  searching  out  and  preser\*ing  the  his- 
tory of  this  corner  of  the  United  Stales.  Tliis  means  the  correct 
chronicling  of  the  Uves  of  the  early  explorers,  who  bv  their  hardi- 
hood and  perseverance  first  reached  and  spied  out  the  land,  and  in 
almost  inspired  prophecy  foretold  something  of  its  future  glory.  It 
means  looking  into  the  lives  of  those  later  comers,  some  of  whom 
are  stilt  with  us  and  are  known  by  the  honorable  title  of  jHoneers; 
it  means  the  faithful  recounting  of  tJieir  deeds  accomplished  under 
dif!iculties;  the  analysis  of  their  steadfast  characters  and  robust  per- 
sonalities, and  the  holding  up  to  us  in  an  intelligent  manner  an  cjM- 
ttmized  statement  of  the  results  of  their  trials,  their  labors,  their 
sacrifices,  and  their  triumphs,  to  be  an  inspiration  to  us,  their  con- 
temporaries and  eventually  their  successors,  to  go  forward  in  the 
straight  path  of  unwearied  effort. 

And  the  live*  of  these  have  a  special  significance  to  us.  They 
lived  under  the  same  skies  that  we  now  see;  we  see  the  same  mount- 
ains as  shadowetl  them,  and  while  the  face  of  the  country  now  has  no 
resemblance  to  its  condition  as  they  found  it,  we  need  only  take  a 
short  journey  to  the  eastward  to  find  one  that  has.  and  be  made 
forcibly  to  realize  something  of  the  effort  involved  in  producing  the 
change. 

So  local  history  has  sjiecial  local  significance,  and  its  study  and 
knowledge  will  be  of  special  value  to  those  of  this  land,  and  a  faith- 
ful chronicle  of  the  lives  and  deeds  of  the  discoverers  and  pioneers 
of  this  country  can  have  hut  one  effect  upon  those  who  read  it,  •'.  e., 
to  be  an  inspiration  to  follow  their  virtues  and  avoid  their  mistakes 
and  vices. 

History  is  at  once  scientific  and  philosophic.  Its  chief  province 
is  the  fashioning  and  formulation  out  of  past  events,  rules  for  fu- 
ture guidance  in  the  administration  of  the  state,  and  its  chief  beauty 
as  a  philosophy  is  that  it  is  eclectic,  in  that  it  sets  Isefore  its  disciples 
the  examples  of  the  past  and  leaves  to  the  cultivated  intelligence  of 
each  their  interpretation  and  future  application. 

Until  after  Herodotus  and  Thucydides  history  was  but  a  more 


U2 


BIStVtRtCAL   SOaKTY    OV  BOtrTHKRK   CAUPOKiaA 


and  resources  of  this  society  is  suflficient  lo  excite  yo«r  friendty 
inlercpt  in  its  future.  The  poorest  and  meaney.  uf  our  citizens  have 
a  direct  interest  in  its  success,  how  nnich  more  imperative  tlien  thai 
Uie  more  intelltji^ent  and  capable  should  manifest  by  their  works  an 
interest  commensurate  with  their  resigns ibiUties.  One  of  our  cliief 
resources  and  equipments  for  work  has  been  and  is  our  honored 
Secretary,  Mr.  J.  M.  Guinn.  who,  with  his  gift  of  concentration  of 
energy  and  his  genius  for  hard  work,  has  evolved  order  out  of  chaos 
in  our  local  hi^itury,  has  set  before  us  in  logical  sequence  tlie  sig^fi- 
cant  events  which  make  history,  and  with  his  faculty  for  scientific 
discernment  has  analyzed  and  portrayed  the  characters  who  made 
the  events.  His  hands  have  l)cen  loyally  upheld  for  years  by  our 
associates  of  long  standing  membership,  with  Mr.  H.  D.  Barrows 
at  their  head.  Let  us  later  members  join  heartily  in  this  work  and 
assume  our  share  of  the  burden,  let  us  advertise  the  society  and  ex- 
ploit its  schemes,  let  us  excite  public  interest  to  the  increase  of  our 
membership  and  the  funds  in  our  treasury,  in  short,  let  us  do  those 
things  that  will  demonstrate  our  belief  in  the  value  of  the  historical 
society  to  the  community,  and  when  this  is  done  the  future  historian 
cannot  complain  of  us  that  we  scattered  the  landmarks  and  historical 
material  intrusted  to  us,  which  we  should  have  preser\'ed  and 
handed  down  to  him  for  illustration  of  his  lesson  in  history  to  the 
people  )*et  unborn. 


VALDB  OP  A    HIOTORtCAL  BOCIETy 


341 


tage  to  tlic  race,  as  to  almost  stagger  our  power  of  comprehension 
when  we  attempt  to  forecast  the  future  in  its  light. 

A  complete  invcntor>-  of  the  good  points  gained  in  that  century 
of  advancement  can  only  be  made  by  philosophical  historical  ap- 
phanccs.  Historical  philosojihy  alone  can  tabulate  the  mistakes, 
point  out  the  pitfalls  to  be  avoided,  fully  appraise  the  advantages 
gained  and  mark  a  course  for  future  pursuit  which  will  preser\'e  to 
us  the  best  and  discard  the  valueless.  The  limits  of  a  paper  to  be 
read  In  fifteen  minutes  proscribe  further  examples  of  my  meaning, 
but  1  tliink  that  small  reflection  will  convince  us  all  of  the  value  of 
history,  and  that  in  local  history  a  society  is  the  only  means  for  its 
collection  and  preser\'ation.  the  extent  of  tis  interest  is  determined 
by  local  boundaries,  which  limitation  will  not  warrant  the  publica- 
tion by  private  enterprise  of  purely  local  histories. 

The  Society  fosters  interest  in  the  subject  among  the  people,  and 
develops  power  of  historic  research  and  statement  among  its  mem- 
bers; it  defrays  the  expense  of  publication  of  local  historical 
sketches,  and  thus  preserves  to  the  future  the  early  history  of  the 
country,  and  at  the  same  time  renders  it  available  for  study  in  the 
present.  In  addition,  our  society  owes  a  duty  to  the  future  of  more 
than  local  imi>ortance,  it  is  now  or  soon  will  be  the  conservator  of 
historic  articles  more  fnlly  illustrating  the  domestic  life  of  the  pas- 
toral period  of  Southern  California,  than  any  other  collection  in  ex- 
istence; it  will  be  the  duty  of  this  society  to  find  a  permanent  abiding 
place  for  these  which  will  form  an  historical  Museum  that  will  con- 
stitute a  primal  fountain  of  information  respecting  one  of  the  most 
interesting  historic  periods  of  the  near  past.  Upon  this  society  will 
also  fall  the  labor  of  cataloguing  this  museum  so  that  the  future  stu- 
dent of  history  may  there  readily  find  an  illustrated  statement  of 
past  industrial  and  domestic  art,  chronologically  arranged  and  in- 
dexed fc»r  reference.  This  society  is  now  also  the  conservator  of  a 
great  number  of  newspaper  fUes,  books,  pamphlets  and  manuscripts, 
which  owing  to  lack  of  proper  storage  are  in  some  confusion  and  in 
daiiger  of  loss,  which  must  be  preserved,  catalogued,  and  indexed 
for  future  use.  For  this  purpose  some  spacious,  properly  arranged 
and  fire  proof  rooms  arc  necessary.  The  city  should  furnish  them, 
but  never  will  until  we  have  a  society  with  the  energy  and  member- 
ship sufficient  for  a  long,  strong  pull,  There  are  other  things  which 
will  devolve  on  tliis  society  for  the  doing,  in  fact,  the  list  is  so  long 
that  we  will  not  try  to  itemize  the  general  statement  of  its  objects, 
purposes  and  uses. 

I  think  that  the  mere  calling  to  your  attention  of  the  existence 


244 


HtSTORICAL  BOCIETY   OF  aODTHEBN   CAUroRl<IA 


he  was  the  originator  of  the  projected  "Consejo  GenenU."  He 
early  espoused  the  cause  of  the  United  States  and  furnished  sup- 
phes  for  Stockton's  force,  iiis  daughters,  who  were  married  to 
Americans,  assisted  in  maicing  the  first  American  flag  in  California, 
which  was  constructec]  by  Dona  Kefugio,  his  second  wife: 

After  the  diange  of  govemmeiil,  or  in  1847,  Don  Juan  was 
named  as  memlxrr  of  the  Legislative  Council,  and  in  1848  he  was 
Alcalde  of  San  Diego.  In  1850  he  erected  a  costly  building  at  that 
place  and  engaged  in  merchandizing.  I-ater  he  devoted  his  time 
to  stock-raising  in  La  Baja  California,  where  in  1852  he  served  as 
Juez.     In  1855  he  brought  his  stock  back  to  San  Diego. 

He  died  at_Los  Angeles  November  4.  1S59.  in  his  60th  year. 

The  foregoing  are  some  of  the  more  important  events  of  Mr. 
Bandini's  career. 

Perhaps  other  matters  of  minor,  or  less  importance  might  be 
briefly  recounted. 

Mr.  Bandini  introduce<l  into  the  Departmental  Assembly  a  pro- 
posal to  make  this  pueblo  the  capital  of  Alta  California  under  the 
name  of  "Villa  Victoria  de  la  Reina  de  Los  Angeles,"  which  was 
approved  by  the  Assenibly  and  by  the  Governor  but  failed  of  ap- 
proval by  the  national  government,  although  some  years  afterwards 
Los  Angeles  was  made  the  capital  by  authority  of  the  Mexican  gov- 
ernment. He  also  introduced  a  resolution  asking  the  supreme  gov- 
cnmicnt  to  supply  teachers  for  a  college  or  academy  in  California. 

As  one  of  three  commissioners  appointed  for  the  purpose.  Don 
Juan  met  with  the  two  others.  Governor  Echcandia  and  Jiraeno,  at 
Monterey.  October  21,  1830,  and  organized  the  Custom  House  at 
Monterey. 

Mr.  Bandini  was  twice  married.  His  first  wife.  Dolores,  was 
the  daughter  of  Captain  Jose  M.  Estudillo.  The  ciiiidren  of  this 
marriage  were  Dona  Arcadia,  who  married,  first.  Don  Abel  Steams, 
and  second.  Col.  R.  S.  Baker;  Ysidora,  who  married  Col.  C.  J. 
Coutts;  Josefa,  married  to  Pedro  C.  Carrillo;  Jose  M..  and  Juan, 
Jr.  Of  these,  only  Mrs.  Baker  and  Don  Juan,  Jr..  are  now  living. 
Mr.  Bandini's  second  wife  was  Dona  Refugio,  daughter  of  Santiago 
Argiicllo.  The  children  of  this  union  now  living  are;  Mrs, 
Charles  R.  Johnson.  Mrs.  Dr.  J.  B.  Winston  and  .^rturo  Bandini, 
Their  mother.  Dona  Refugio,  whom  many  old  timers  well  and  fa- 
vorably knew,  died  in  this  city  June  29.  1891. 

Mr.  Bandini  and  other  early  California  public  men  have  been 
criticised  by  Americans  because  they  frequently  resisted  oppressive 
laws  and  cornipl  administrations.     But  critics  should  remember 


JUAN    BANDINI 


'UB 


that  those  who  took  part  in  this  resistance  to  oppression,  generally 
[had  good  cause  for  their  acts.  With  equal  reason  might  these  sarae 
carpers  find  fault  with  the  opposition  of  our  American  revolutionary 
forefathers  lo  the  oppression  of  Great  Britain  a  century  and  more 
ago.  A  dose  and  impartial  study  of  the  causes  which  drove  both 
the  CaJifomians  and  the  American  colonists  into  organized  and  rev- 
olutionary resistance  to  the  constituted  authority,  will  show  that  the 
fcrmer  as  well  as  the  latter,  not  only  were  justified,  but  that  they 
were  entitled  to  commendation  for  their  heroic  and  self-respecting 
defence  of  their  rights.  The  native  or  Spanish-speaking  Cali- 
foi-nians.  as  a  race,  were  lovers  of  Hberty. 

Their  great  distance,  under  both  Spanish  and  Mexican  rule, 
from  the  central  government,  caused  them  to  be  neglected,  and  often 
tu  he  sadly  misgoverned;  and,  moreover,  not  infrequently,  it  seemed 
ini]x«sible  for  thein  lo  obtain  redress  for  the  many  and  chronic 
grievances  of  a  political  and  economic  nature  which  they  were  com- 
pelled to  endure,  excei>t  by  resorting  to  revolution. 

The  insurrection  of  1831  against  Gov.  Victoria,  headed  by  Pico, 
Bandini,  Carrilla,  Steams  and  others,  well  ilhistrates  the  truth  of  the 
foregoing  statement.  The  Mexican  Congress  by  law  provided  for 
the  distribution  of  the  public  lands  of  the  nation  among  the  citizens 
in  conformity  with  regulations  which  were  to  be  issued  by  the  exec- 
utive branch  of  the  government,  but  which  were  not  promulgated 
until  182S.  But  as  under  this  law  and  those  regulations  the  co- 
operation of  the  local  legislative  department  of  the  government  of 
California  was  necessary  to  make  grants  of  lands  to  citizens;  and, 
a^  Gov.  Victoria  neglected  or  refused  lo  take  any  steps  to  carry  out 
the  same,  or  to  call  the  legislative  body  together,  the  people  very 
naturally  ajid  justly  became  impatient  that  the  beneficent  land  laws 
of  the  republic,  so  far  as  they  related  to  California,  should  tlms  be 
rendered  inoperative.  Furthermore,  the  people  especially  of  Los 
Angeles,  had  become  exasperated  with  the  Governor,  because  of 
their  bdief  that  the  acts  of  the  Alcalde  of  Los  Angeles,  Vicente 
Sanchez,  who  during  the  year  1831  had  kept  a  large  number  of  the 
most  influential  dtizens  under  arrest  in  the  guardhouse,  mostly  for 
contempt  of  hts  authority  or  for  some  trivial  offense,  etc.,  were  in- 
spired by  Gov.  Victoria.  As  a  result  of  the  stand  taken  by  the  revo- 
lutionists. Victoria  was  driven  out  of  the  country;  but  it  was  not  till 
1833,  when  Figueroa  became  Governor  that  the  laws  of  1824  and 
the  "reglamentn"'  of  1828  were  carried  into  effect;  and  that  able  and 
patriotic  Gtivemor  made  grants  of  land  under  them,  which  were 
duly  approved  by  the  Territorial  Legislature. 


S46 


HUrrOBICAL  »OCtRTY   OF   lOOTfllBll   CALtTORXlA 


If  the  considerate  judgment  of  mankind  coaunended  the  Ameri- 
can ro'oluiionists  for  their  contention  that  "taxation  and  representa- 
tion should  go  together."  it  can  no  less  approve  the  stand  of  the 
California  revolutionists  in  favor  of  the  execution  of  laws  on  which 
Ihe  material  welfare  of  the  Territory  so  closely  depended. 

In  opposing  political  and  other  aJ)uses,  as  Don  Juan  Bandini  and 
other  influential  Califomians  were  frequently  compelled  to  do.  those 
gentlemen  acted  as  good  citizens  and  patriots  who  had  the  welfare 
of  California  at  heart. 

Bancroft's  estimate  of  the  personal  qualities  of  Don  Juan  Ban- 
dini is  in  the  main  ju«t.  He  says  of  him:  "He  was  a  man  of  fair 
abilities  and  education,  of  generous  impulses,  of  jovial  tempera- 
ment; a  most  interesting  man  socially,  famous  for  his  gentlemanly 
manners,  of  good  courage  in  the  midst  of  personal  misfortunes,  and 
always  well  liked  and  respected ;  indeed  his  record  as  a  citizen  was 
an  excellent  one.  He  also  performed  honestly  and  efficiently  the 
duties  of  his  various  official  positions.  He  was  an  eloquent  speaker 
and  fluent  writer." 

Don  Juan  left  a  valuable  oollecticm  of  "Documentar>'  History 
of  California;"  also  an  original  MS.,  "Historia  d<  California," 
which  are  in  Bancroft's  possession. 


THE  STORY  OF  A   PLAZA 


BY  J.  M.  GUINN. 

In  Spanish- American  cotmtries  the  plaza  is  the  center  of  com- 
munity life — the  heart  from  which  the  arterial  blood  of  the  pueblo 
or  ciiidad  circulates.  Around  the  plaaa  arc  usually  grouped  the 
govcmment  buildings  and  the  principal  churches.  Like  the  forum 
of  old  Rome  it  is  a  place  where  questions  of  state  are  discussed  and 
where  sometimes  revolutionary  plots  are  hatched.  It  is  a  meeting 
place  of  the  people  to  exchange  gossip  and  to  retail  the  day's 
doings. 

Los  Angeles,  being  a  town  of  Spanish  birth,  has  its  plaza,  but 
its  royal  square  has  long  since  ceased  to  be  the  center  of  commtmal 
life  or  a  political  hotbed  for  the  germinating  of  revolutions.  When 
Governor  Felipe  de  Neve,  nearly  one  hundred  and  twenty  years  ago. 
founded  the  pueblo  of  our  Lady  of  the  Angels  his  first  act  was  to 
locate  a  plaza  for  the  geographical  center  from  which  his  town 
should  radiate.  Dc  Ne\'e's  plaza  was  rectangular  in  form — seventy- 
five  varas  wide  by  one  hundred  in  length.  It  was  located  north  of 
the  church;  its  southerly  line  very  nearly  coincided  with  what  is  now 
the  northerly  tine  of  West  Marchessault  street.  On  tliis,  the  cuar- 
tel.  or  guard  house,  the  public  granary,  the  government  house  and 
the  capilla  or  chapel,  fronted. 

In  1814,  when  the  foundation  of  the  Nue\'a  Iglesia,  or  new 
church,  was  laid.  it.  too,  fronted  on  tlie  old  Flaza:  but  the  great 
flood  of  1815  changed  the  river's  channel  from  the  eastern  side  of 
the  valley  to  the  western  and  the  waters  came  up  to  the  foundations; 
the  location  of  the  church  was  changed  to  higher  ground — its 
present  site.  When  the  final  location  of  the  Nueva  Iglesia  had  been 
decided  upon  by  Gov.  Sola  in  1818,  next  in  importance  was  a  plaza 
en  which  the  church  should  front  and  since  there  was  none,  the  evo- 
lution of  plaza  from  the  ejidos  or  common  land  and  house  lots 
began.  There  were  evidently  some  buildings  on  the  designated 
area,  for  we  find  in  the  old  records  that  the  pueblo  authorities,  in 
1825.  ordered  a  house  torn  down  that  stood  on  the  Plaza. 

Previous  to  i8i8,  the  trend  of  the  pueblo's  growth  had  been  to 
the  northward,  but  after  tlie  location  of  a  site  for  the  new  church 
had  been  determined  the  movement  to  the  southward  begati.     June 


%^ 


HlSTOIUCAl.  eOOlRTir   CM^  BOL'TBBEM   CALUOIUHA 


*i,  1821.  Jose  Anttmin  Carrillo,  rtiie  f>f  ihe  aristocrats  of  the  aiicient 
pueblo  regime,  petitioned  the  Comisioiiado  for  a  l»ouse  lot  near  the 
"new  leniple  wliich  is  being  built  for  the  benefit  of  our  holy  rc- 
Ugion."  A  lot  40xGo  varas  (Oie  present  site  of  the  Pico  House  or 
National  Hotel  as  it  is  now  called)  was  granted  him.  On  this  lot 
between  1821  and  1823  Carrillo  built,  for  that  lime,  quite  an  aristo- 
cratic residence,  fronting  it  on  the  Plaza.  It  had  a  wing  extending 
along  the  line  uf  Main  street  and  one  running  back  from  its  eastern 
end  to  a  cross  wall,  thus  inclosing  a  patio  or  inner  court.  Its  high 
gabled  roof  of  red  tiles  and  its  white  walls  gave  it  an  imposing  ap- 
pearance. Its  sftacious  ballroom  witnessed  many  a  gay  assemblage 
01  the  beauty  and  the  chivalry  of  the  pueblo. 

Plaza  fronts  became  the  fashion  with  tlie  pueblo  aristocracy :  and 
in  course  of  time  the  homes  of  the  Picas,  the  Carrillos,  the  Sepul- 
vedas,  the  Olveras,  the  Lugos,  and  the  Abilas  were  clustered  around 
the  square. 

There  seems  to  have  been  no  "piano"  or  plot  made  of  the  new 
Ptaza.  The  building  line  zigzagged.  A  moderate  deviation  was 
not  noticed,  but  if  some  one  buih  out  too  far  the  authorities  puUed 
down  his  casa.  In  1838,  the  city  authorities  ordered  Santiago 
Rubio's  house  demolished  "to  maintain  the  Plaza  line."  Santiago 
seems  to  have  been  fired  with  an  ambition  to  outdo  his  neighbors  in 
Plaza  front  or  rather  by  building  out  to  obtain  three  Plaza  fronts, 
but  his  pride  got  a  fall  and  so  did  his  bouse. 

When  the  vacant  lots  with  Plaza  fronts  were  all  built  up<in.  the 
irregular  shape  of  what  was  originally  intended  to  be  a  square  be- 
came more  noticeable.  So  the  Ayuntamicnto  (Coiuicil)  set  to  work 
to  solve  the  problem  of  squaring  the  Plaza,  but  it  proved  to  be  as 
difficult  a  problem  as  squaring  the  circle.  Commissioners  were  ap- 
pointed and  they  labored  faithfully  to  evolve  plans  to  remedy  "cer- 
tain imperfections  which  have  been  allowed  to  creep  into  the  form 
of  the  Plara  through  carelessness;  and  to  add  to  the  beauty  of  the 
town  by  embellishing  the  Plaza."  But  like  many  a  commission 
since  then  they  encountered  opposition  to  their  laudable  eflTorts. 

Pedro  Cabrera's  house  lot  fell  within  the  line  of  a  street  that  it 
'was  proposed  to  open  out  to  the  westward  from  the  Pla/Ji.  The 
Commissioners  offered  him  a  larger  and  better  lot  in  exchange,  but 
Pedro  would  none  of  it.  He  wanted  a  Plaza  front  and  the  new 
lot  had  none.  Then  the  Commissioners  offered  him  another  lot" 
and  for  damages  the  labor  of  the  chain  gang  for  a  certain  number 
of  days.  The  pueblo  treasun,-  was  empty— there  was  neither  a 
horse  nor  a  hide  in  (he  street  fund  and  the  prisoners'  labor  was  all 


I 


« 


THK  STORT   OF   A   PLAZA 


24» 


the  compensation  tlicy  could  offer.  But  Pedro  was  inexorable. 
He  did  not  propose  to  be  sidetracked  in  the  social  scale  by  losing  his 
Plaza  front,  so  the  street  had  to  take  a  twist  around  his  lot,  and  half 
a  century  has  not  untwined  the  twist  that  Pedro's  pride  gave  the 
Calle  Iglesia  (Church  street),  now  West  Marchessault.  By  re- 
<]ucing  its  dimensions  and  by  giving  the  lot  owmers  who  had  built 
back  the  land  between  them  and  the  new  building  line  the  Ayimta- 
micnto  succeeded  in  partially  squaring  tlie  Plaza.  The  north,  south 
and  west  lines,  after  squaring,  were  each  134  varas  or  about  380  feet 
in  length  and  the  east  line  was  1 12  varas  or  330  feet  long.  At  that 
time  Los  Angeles  street  (or  Vineyard  street,  as  it  was  then  called) 
ended  at  Arcadia  and  the  principal  entrance  into  the  Plaza  from  the 
south  was  the  Calle  de  I^s  Negros — the  street  of  the  blacks — vul- 
garly known  in  later  times  as  Nigger  Alley. 

The  Old  Plaza  has  been  the  scene  of  many  a  tragedy  and  of 
comedies  not  a  few.  In  the  stormy  days  of  Mexican  nile  when  rev- 
olutions and  pronouncianiicntos  were  the  escape  valves  of  the  pent- 
up  patriotism  of  California  politicians,  many  a  time  has  it  echoed 
the  tread  of  armed  men.  Many  a  gaily-caparisoned  cavalcade  has 
ridden  forth  from  it  to  do  battle  for  the  countr)*  or  rather  a  part  of 
it;  for  in  most  of  these  contests  it  was  Californian  against  Califor- 
nian — the  patriots  of  the  south  against  the  rebels  of  the  north  an<l 
vice  versa. 

In  the  Civil  War  of  1837-38,  the  "Surenos"  (Southerners)  were 
defeated  by  the  Northerners  of  Monterey  at  the  bl(x>dless  battle  of 
San  Buenaventura,  with  a  heavy  loss  of  mustangs;  and  the  unfortu- 
nates of  the  southern  army  who  had  escaped  capture  were  compelled 
to  foot  it  home  to  Los  Angeles — an  insult  too  grievous  to  be  tamely 
borne  by  the  proud  caballerns  of  the  south.  But  greater  Indignities 
were  in  store  for  them.  While  footsore  and  weary  they  slumbered; 
in  the  thick  darkness  of  night — there  were  no  street  lamps  in  the 
pueblo  then — Capt.  Espinoza.  with  a  detachment  of  the  northern 
army  stole  into  the  sleeping  town.  Capturing  the  drowsy  picket 
guard,  he  encamped  on  the  Plaza.  In  the  morning  when  the  artisto- 
crats  of  the  Plaza  fronts  opened  their  doors  they  were  confronted 
by  armed  men.  From  headquarters  on  the  Plaza,  Espinoza  b^;an 
a  search  for  the  concealed  statesmen  and  warriors  of  the  pueblo;  and 
<re  the  set  of  sun,  a  dozen  or  more  of  the  leading  men  of  the  soutb 
were  forced  to  begin  a  weary  march  (or  ride)  of  600  miles  to  Val- 
lejo  bastilc  at  Sonoma,  where  as  prisoners  of  state — Atvarado's  free 
State  of  Alta  California — they  whiled  away  the  long  summer  days 
in  durance  vile. 


350 


iirBTORit-A.L  »ocrcTV  or  aooraEBN  CALiFOBin& 


In  the  revolution  of  1845,  from  their  military  headquarters  In 
the  curate's  house.  Pico  and  Castro  mobilized  their  allies  on  the 
Plaza  and  in  conunand  of  400  caballcros  they  rode  fonh  to  battle 
against  Micheltorena's  army  of  chicken-stealing  cholos  and  Sutter's 
warriors  in  bronze.  Victorious  over  Mexican  and  Indian  on  the 
battlefield  of  Caljuenga.  they  returned  atjain  to  ihe  Plaza  to  receive 
the  plaudits  of  motliers,  sisters,  wives  and  sweethearts. 

But  the  old  Plaza  long  ago  ceased  to  be  a  storm  center  of  polit- 
ical disturbance.  Across  the  plains  of  the  I-aguna  came  the  Saxon 
invader  and  from  the  mesa  his  cannon  sounded  the  death  knell  of 
Mexican  domination  in  California. 

The  Plaza  beheld  its  last  military  pageant  when  in  1847  Stock- 
ton's invading  anny,  600  strong,  entered  the  subjugated  city  and 
marching  up  the  Calle  Principal  to  the  stirring  strains  of  "Yankee 
Doodle"  and  "Hail  Columbia."  it  camped  on  the  public  square. 
The  music  of  Stockton's  famous  brass  band  as  it  floated  out  on  the 
reningair,  dtd  more,  it  is  said,  to  smooth  the  creases  out  of  "war's 
wrinkled  front"  than  all  the  treaties  and  conciliator)'  proclamations 
ctf  the  gringo  commanders. 

But  peace  bath  her  pageants  as  well  as  war;  and  the  old  Plaza, 
has  been  the  scene  of  many  a  gay  fiesta,  many  a  brilliant  civic  pa- 
ra<le,  and  many  a  solemn  church  procession,  as  well.  During  the 
Mexican  era  it  witnessed  the  inauguration  ceremonies  of  two  Gov- 
ernors of  California.  The  first  were  those  of  Carlos  Carillo,  some- 
times called  tlie  Pretender.  On  the  6tb  of  December,  1837,  Gov- 
ernor Don  Carlos  Carrillo,  "accompanied  by  a  magnificent  calva- 
cade"  (so  an  old  record  says),  entered  the  city  and  crossing  the 
Plaza  took  Ihe  oath  of  office  in  the  Juzgado  or  Hall  of  Sessions 
and  at  llie  bead  of  his  retinue  he  repaired  to  the  church,  where  he 
listened  to  a  solemn  mass.  For  three  nights,  in  honor  of  the  occa- 
sion, the  r^iaza  fnmts  were  brilliantly  illuminated  and  the  big  can- 
non on  the  square  boomed  forth  the  glad  tidings  that  L^s  .Angeles 
was  the  capital  of  California,  and  that  she  had  a  Governor  of  her 
own.  Then  Alvarado.  the  de  facto  Governor,  came  down  from 
Monterey  with  his  northern  hordes  and  Carlos,  the  Pretender,  fled 
to  Ihe  wilds  of  San  Diego.  Later  on  he  was  captured,  and  a  pris- 
oner was  taken  hade  to  his  rancho  and  to  his  wife  at  San  Buenaven- 
tura, where  lie  lived  happily  ever  afterwards.  Los  Angeles  mourned" 
a  k)St  Governor  ami  a  lost  capital,  hut  she,  too.  was  happier  for  the 
loss  of  both  if  she  only  could  have  realized  it. 

The  next  inaugural  services  held  on  the  Plaza  were  those  of 
Manuel  Micheltorena,  the  last  of  the  Mexican-bom  Governors  of 


TBB   PTORT   OP   A    PLAU 


251 


California.  He  took  the  oath  of  oflice  New  Year's  eve,  1&42,  in 
Sanchez  Hall,  which  until  quite  recently  stood  on  the  eastern  side  of 
the  square.  An  inauguration  ball,  that  lasted  a  week,  followed. 
The  HIaza  fronts  were  again  brilliantly  illuminated  and  cannon 
boomed  fonh  a  glad  welcome  to  the  new  Governor — cannon  that  but 
two  jears  later  sounded  the  trump  of  his  doom  at  the  battle  of 
Cahuenga. 

One  of  the  most  imposing  of  the  church  festivals  in  which  the 
Plaza  figured  in  Ihe  olden  lime  was  the  festival  of  Corpus  Christi. 
Corpus  Christi  is  celebrated  forty  days  after  Easter;  and  is  intended 
tf  commemorate  the  ascension  of  the  Body  of  Christ  into  Heaven. 
Every  year,  before  the  festival,  the  Plaza  was  swept  and  cleansed  of 
rubbish,  and  cnramadas,  or  booths,  of  boughs  constructed  in  front 
of  the  principal  houses;  and  altars  erected.  The  celebration  of  this 
festival  by  processions  on  the  Plaza  was  continued  after  the  Ameri- 
can occupation — indeed,  down  to  within  the  past  25  years.  From 
the  Weekly  Star  of  June  5,  1858,  I  extract  the  following  descrip- 
tion of  the  celebration  of  that  year: 

"Immediately  after  Pontifical  Vcsjx'rs.  which  were  held  in  the 
diurch  at  4  p.  m.,  a  solemn  procession  was  formed  which  made  the 
ci«—"t  of  the  PJaza,  stopping  at  the  various  altars  which  with  great 
cost,  elegance  and  taste  had  been  erected  in  front  of  the  houses 
where  the  sacred  offices  of  the  church  were  solemnly  performed. 
The  order  of  the  procession  was  as  follows:  Music — Young  La- 
dies of  the  Sisters'  School  bearing  the  banner  of  the  school,  fol- 
lowed by  the  children  of  the  school  to  the  number  of  120  in  two 
ranks.  The>'  were  elegantly  dressed  in  white,  wearing  white  veils 
and  carrying  baskets  filled  with  flowers  which  during  the  procession 
were  scattered  before  tlw  Bishop  and  the  clergy.  Next  came  the 
boys  of  the  church  choir.  Then  twelve  men  hearing  candles; 
these  represented  the  twelve  apostles.  Then  came  Father  Raho  and 
Bishop  Amat.  bearing  the  Blessed  Sacrament,  supported  on  each 
side  by  the  clergy,  marching  under  a  gorgeous  canopy  carried  by 
four  prominent  citizens.  These  were  followed  by  a  long  procession 
of  men,  women  and  children  marching  two  and  two,  The  proces- 
sion was  escorted  by  the  California  Lancers.  Captain  Juan  Sepul- 
veda  commanding,  and  the  Southern  Rifles.  Captain  W.  W.  Twist 
in  command. 

"Very  elaborate  and  costly  preparations  had  been  made  by  the 
citizens  resident  on  the  Plaza  for  the  reception  of  the  Holy  Eu- 
charist :  among  the  most  prominent  of  whicli  we  noticed  the  resi- 
dence of  Don  Jesus  Dominguez,  Don  Ignacio  Del  Valle,  Don  Vin- 


268 


IET%-  OP  souraRBN  ULiroasiA 


ccntc  Lugo  and  Dan  Augustin  Oivera.  These  altars  were  elegantljr, 
designed  and  tastefully  decorated,  being  ornamented  with  laces, 
silks,  satins  and  diamonds.  In  front  of  each  the  procession  slopped. 
whilst  sacred  offices  appropriate  to  the  occasion  were  i)erformed. 

"Having  made  the  circuit  of  the  Plaza,  the  procession  returned 
tc  the  church,  where  the  services  were  concluded.  After  which  the 
immense  assemblage  dispersed,  and  the  militar>'  escorted  the  young 
ladies  of  the  Sisters'  School  on  their  return  home." 

Patroness  Day  or  the  fiesta  of  Our  Lady  of  the  Angels  was  an- 
other occasion  in  which  the  Plaza  played  a  most  important  part.  It 
is  celebrated  August  15th.  The  Mother  of  Christ,  according  to  the 
Catholic  doctrine,  did  not  die  but  was  taken  up  into  Heaven,  where 
she  is  continually  adored  by  all  the  heavenly  throng  of  angels  and 
archangels  as  their  queen.  The  following  description  of  the  cdc- 
bration  of  that  festival  T  take  from  the  Star  of  August  22.  1857: 

"At  the  conclusion  of  mass  Ute  pupils  of  the  female  school  headed 
by  their  instructresses,  the  Sisters  of  Charity,  come  out  of  the 
church  in  procession  Iwaring  the  image  Our  Lady  under  a  canopy. 
They  were  joined  by  tlie  Lancers  and  passing  around  tiie  public 
square  re-entered  the  churcli.  The  a|]pearancc  of  the  procession  as 
it  left  the  church  and  during  its  march  was  imposing.  The  canopy 
covering  the  rci>resentation  of  the  angelic  queen,  tastefully  orna- 
mented, was  borne  by  girls  dressed  in  white.  The  girls  of  the 
school  with  their  heads  uncovered  and  in  uniform  white  dresses,  fol- 
lowed ;  then  came  the  lancers,  the  rear  of  the  company  being  brought 
up  by  a  mounted  division  armed  with  lances.  There  was  an  oxning 
procession  on  the  Plaza.  A  bull-fight  took  place  in  the  upper  part 
of  town  in  the  afternoon,  which  was  attended  by  a  dense  crowd. 
One  hombrc  attempting  to  perform  some  exploits  on  ft>ot  which  are 
usual  at  bull-fights  in  Lima  and  Mexico,  was  caught  and  tossed  high 
in  air  a  number  of  times  by  an  infuriated  bull  and  left  for  dead.  A 
number  of  horses  were  badly  gored  and  some  killed  outright.  This 
branch  of  amusement  was  kept  up  for  three  days  to  the  evident  de- 
light of  the  boys  and  great  suffering  and  ruin  of  many  a  noble 
steed." 

In  the  olden  times,  before  gringo  influence  had  wrought  changes 
in  social  customs,  when  the  Christmas  festivities  broke  the  monotony 
of  pueblo  life  and  the  "Pastores'" — (the  shepherds) — a  fragment  of 
the  passion  plays  of  the  Middle  Ages,  that  had  sur\'ivcd  the  lapse 
of  time  and  crossed  the  wide  expanse  of  sea  and  land  between  Eu- 
rope and  the  western  shores  of  the  sunset  .sea— were  played  by  ama- 
teur actors,  often  has  the  old  Plaza  resounded  with  shouts  of  mirth 


THE  (tTOBV   UP   A   PLAZA 


353 


at  the  undoing  of  the  arch  fiend,  Satan,  by  the  archangel,  Michael. 
But  alter  the  change  of  rulers,  in  the  days  of  gold  Satan  had  his 
innings  and  the  Plaza  was  given  over  to  lawlessness,  and  vice  ran 
riot  on  its  borders.  The  Calle  de  Los  Negros  was  as  black  in  char- 
acter as  in  name.  For  its  length  and  opportunities  it  was  the  wick- 
edest street  on  earth.  Saloons,  dance  houses  and  gambling  hdls 
lined  its  walks  and  the  high  tide  of  its  iniquities  swept  over  the 
Plaza. 

In  1854  it  is  said  that  Los  Angeles  averaged  a  homicide  for  each 
day  of  that  year.  The  Ptaza  borders  and  the  Calle  de  Los  Negros 
were  the  principal  battle  fields  where  most  of  the  victims  bit  the 
dust. 

The  criminal  clement  became  bold  and  defiant;  robbers  and  mur- 
derers terrorized  the  community.  Then  the  law-abiding  citizens 
arose  in  their  might  and  in  the  shape  of  vigilance  committees  and 
militarj' organization  put  an  end  to  the  saturnalia  of  crime,  and  to 
many  of  the  criminals  as  wdl.  Tlie  gallows  tree  on  Fort  Hill  bore 
gruesome  fruit  and  the  beams  over  corral  gates  were  sometimes  fes- 
tooned with  the  hangman's  nix>se.  In  less  than  a  year  twenty-two 
criminals,  bandits,  murderers  and  thie\-cs,  were  hung  tn  accordance 
with  the  laws  or  without  law  whichever  was  most  convenient  or 
most  expeditious;  and  more  tlian  twice  that  number  expatriated 
themselves  for  the  country's  good,  and  their  own.  After  its  puri- 
fication by  hemp,  the  Old  Plaza  became  a  thing  of  utility,  and  was 
made  the  distributing  point  for  a  water  system.  In  1857,  the  City 
Council  granted  to  Judge  William  G.  Drydcn  the  right  to  convey 
the  water  from  his  springs,  located  on  the  low  ground  southeast  of 
where  the  River  Station  now  is.  "over,  under  and  through  the  streets, 
lanes,  alleys  and  roads  of  the  city^  and  distribute  it  for  domestic 
purposes." 

Dryden  raised  the  water  by  means  of  a  pump  propelled  by  a 
current  wheel  placed  in  the  Zanja  Madre  into  a  reservoir  on  the 
Plaza,  from  whence  it  was  distributed  by  pipes  to  tlie  houses  in  the 
neighborhood.  When  Messrs.  Griffin,  Bcaudry  and  their  associates 
obtained  the  thirty  years'  lease  of  the  city  water  work.t,  one  of  the 
conditions  of  that  lease  was  the  building  within  a  year  at  a  cost 
not  to  exceed  Siooo  of  an  ornamental  spring  fountain  on  the  Plaza. 
Another  condition  was  the  payment  by  the  company  to  the  city 
of  $1500  a  year  for  the  rent  of  the  water  works. 

Juan  Bernard  and  Patrick  McFadden.  wIk>  had  acquired  pos- 
session of  the  Dryden  franchise  and  water  works,  disposed  of  their 
system  and  the  old  brick  reservoir  on  the  Flaia  came  into  the 


254 


UIBTORICAL  SOdBTir   OP  SOUTHERN   CAUFOBRIA 


possession  of  the  City  Water  Company,  the  successors  of  Griffin, 
Beaudry,  et  al. 

A  year  passed  and  no  fountain  played  on  the  Plaza,  aiiotJier 
year  waned  and  passed  away  and  still  the  Plaza  was  fountainless. 
A  third  year  was  passing  and  sttll  the  unsightly  debris  of  tlie  old 
reservoir  disfigfured  the  center  of  the  square.  At  a  meeting  of  the 
Council,  Dec.  2,  1870,  the  late  Judge  Rninson,  attorney  of  the 
City  Water  Company,  submitted  the  following  pnjpositions  as  a 
settlement  of  what  he  styled  "the  much  vexed  question  of  the 
reservoir  and  Plaza  improvements;" 

The  Water  Company  will  remove  the  reservoir  from  the  Plaza 
and  deed  all  ils  rights  and  Interests  in  and  to  the  Plaza  to  ite 
city  of  Los  Angeles;  will  build  a  good  and  substantial  fence  around 
said  Plaza:  will  lay  it  off  in  ornamental  walks  and  grounds;  will 
erect  on  it  an  ornamental  fountain  at  a  cost  not  to  exceed  $1,000  and 
will  surrender  to  the  city  all  city  water  scrip  (about  $3,000)  now 
held  by  the  company;  provided  said  city  will  for  the  considerations 
named  alwvc  reduce  the  rent  {$1,500  a  >*ear)  now  paid  by  the 
ccmiKiny  to  said  city  under  a  certain  contract  made  July  22,  1868, 
tf'  the  sum  of  S300  per  annum.  Some  of  the  Councilmcn  demurred 
to  giving  up  $1,200  a  year  "for  very  little  return." 

Then  Judge  Rruiison  executed  one  of  those  brilliant  legal  '*coup 
de  etats"  for  wliicli  he  was  famous.  He  threatened  to  bring  suit 
against  the  city  to  defend  the  Water  Company's  rights.  McFad- 
den,  one  of  the  former  owners  of  the  reservoir,  stated  to  the  Coun- 
cil that  the  Water  Company  had  no  right  to  the  Plaza  except  the 
right  to  use  it  as  a  reservoir  site,  and  since  the  company  had  ceased 
to  use  thf  reservoir  the  Plaza  reverted  to  the  city.  Hut  the  Council, 
triglUeiicd  at  the  prospect  of  a  law  suit  and  fearful  of  losing  the 
Plaza,  hastened  to  compromise  on  the  basis  of  S400  a  year  rental 
in.stead  of  the  $1,500  specified  in  the  original  contract. 

The  fence  was  built,  the  walks  were  laid,  and  the  ornamental 
fountain,  too,  was  erected  by  the  company,  and  for  nearly  thirty 
years  it  ha.s  spurted  the  crystal  river  water  into  the  moss-cov- 
ered basin  where  the  gold  fish  play. 

During  the  time  of  S|)anish  and  Mexican  domination  in  Cali- 
fornia, the  Plaza  was  a  treeless  common:  its  surface  pawed  into" 
ridges  or  trodden  into  dust  by  the  hoofs  of  the  numerous  mus- 
tangs tethered  on  it  or  ridden  over  it.    Tt  had.  however,  its  annual 
spring  cleaning  and  decoration  for  the  festival  of  Corpus  Christi. 

For  a  decade  or  iriore  after  the  American  occupation  its  appear- 
ance was  unchanged.     The  first  attempt  at  its  improvement  was 


THE   STORT   OF   A    PLAZA 


255 


made  by  the  city  authorities  in  1859.  It  was  enclosed  by  a  picket 
fence,  walks  were  laid  od  and  some  shrubbery  planted.  But  in 
those  days  the  city  exchequer  was  in  a  chronic  slate  of  collapse  and 
the  improvements  made  were  not  kept  up.  The  tethered  mustangs 
gnawed  the  pickets  and  wandering  goats  nibbled  the  shrubliery. 
The  Plaza  gradually  lapsed  into  its  former  state  of  dilapidation. 
In  1870  the  City  Water  Company  took  it  in  hand  a:id  made  the 
improvements  named  above.  Its  form  was  changed  from  a  square 
to  a  circle. 

In  the  four  score  years  that  have  passed  since  the  old  Plaza 
was  evolved  from  a  chaos  of  ejidos  and  house  lots,  the  flags  of  king- 
doms, empires  and  republics  have  floated  over  it.  in  the  begin- 
ning of  its  history  the  imperial  banner  of  Spain  waved  on  its  bor- 
ders. It  was  supplanted  by  the  tri-color  of  the  Mexican  empire. 
Next  was  raised  the  cactus-perched  eagle  flag  of  the  Mexican  re- 
public; on  its  downfall  up  rose  tlie  Stars  and  Stripes;  and  now 
above  the  ruined  homes  of  the  old  Dons  floats  in  the  breeze  the 
dragon  flag  of  China. 

Three  distinct  forms  of  civilization  and  several  forms  of  sav- 
ages as  well  have  met  on  its  borders.  The  pastoral  Latin  with  his 
easy-going  manners  and  customs  and  mode  of  life  long  since 
gave  way  to  the  aggressive  Saxon ;  and  the  Saxon  in  turn  has  been 
pushed  a.side  by  the  Mongol.  There  have  been  race  wars  on  the 
Plaza  borders.  Many  of  our  older  citizens  will  recall  the  incip- 
ient revolution  of  1856,  when  a  number  of  the  Mexican  population 
rose  in  protest  against  a  grievous  wrong  done  one  of  their  people 
and.  armed,  they  assembled  on  the  Plaza  with  cries  of  down 
with  the  Americans,  and  "Viva  Mexico!"  The  uprising  ended 
with  tlw  exchange  of  a  number  of  shots  between  tlie  combatants, 
the  wounding  of  the  City  Marshal  and  the  death  of  a  horse.  But 
the  Mongolian  massacre  of  1871  was  a  moj-e  sangiiinarj-  affair. 
One  American  was  shot  to  death  and  eighteen  Chinamen  were  either 
shot  or  hanged  on  that  wild  night  of  mob  nde. 

The  Plaza  offers  many  an  object  lesson  in  the  cosmopolitan 
characteristics  of  our  population.  There  the  civilizations  and  re- 
ligions of  the  Occident  and  the  Orient  meet  but  do  not  mingle. 
Each  maintains  its  own  customs  and  beliefs  and  scorns  those  of  the 
other.  From  the  eastern  border  of  the  old  Plaza  a  heathen  temple 
devoted  to  the  worship  of  the  Chinese  god.  Joss,  confronts  one, 
en  the  western  side  of  the  square  a  Christian  church  dedicated  to 
the  worship  of  the  Christian  God.  The  little  brown  man  of  the 
Orient  staggers  along  the  streets  of  the  public  square  weighed  down 


266  BnrroRiCAL  socmr  of  southbrn  califobhu 

by  the  burdens  he  carries  balanced  from  the  end  of  a  bamboo  pole 
brought  from  his  native  land — ^burdens  carried  today  as  his  ances- 
tors bore  them  in  ages  long  past;  while  the  white  man's  burdens, 
(or  at  least  a  part  of  them),  and  himself,  too,  are  borne  along  by 
electricity  and  steam — motive  powers  which  the  man  of  the  Occi- 
dent has  harnessed  down  to  do  his  bidding.  The  flash  of  the  one 
and  the  roar  of  the  other  as  they  "swish"  their  burdens  past  the 
borders  of  the  old  Plaza  dissipate  the  romantic  fantasies  of  its  by- 
gone days  and  leave  to  the  memory  of  the  passerby  instead  only 
a  hasty  glimpse  of  a  common  meeting  place  of  two  civilizations — 
the  one  living,  the  other  dying. 


EARLY  aOVERNORS  OF  ALTA  CALIFORNIA 


K 


BY  H.  D.  BARROWS. 

It  would  seem  desirable  that  the  Historical  Society  of  Southern 
California  should  ha\'e  a  consecutive  list  of  the  Governors  of  Cali- 
fornia, with  dates  of  their  incumbency,  together  with  some  account 
ill  briefest  outline  of  the  personality  of  each  and  of  the  more  im- 
portant events  of  their  several  administrations.  Sncli  a  list  would 
be  useful  in  many  ways.  It  would  enable  our  members  to  readily 
and  conveniently  locate  eaclt  one  historically  by  dates,  and  by  the 
salient  characteristics  of  each  administration  respectively.  To  sup- 
ply this  desideratum  is  the  object  of  this  paper.  The  completed  list 
will  cover  three  regimes,  namely  (  i )  that  of  Spain,  extending  from 
the  settlement  of  Alta  Califoniia  in  1796  to  1822;  (2)  that  of 
Mexico  from  182^  to  1846;  and  (3)  that  of  the  United  States. 
which  commenced  in  1846  and  extends  to  the  present  time.  T  may 
supplement  this  by  giving,  later,  brief  biographical  sketches  of  each 
Governor  in  separate  papers. 

I  have  already  read  before  the  society  sketches  of  two  notable 
Governors,  namely,  of  the  first  Governor,  de  Porlola.  and  of  the 
founder  of  this  city.  Governor  Felipe  dc  Neve. 

SPANISH  GOVERNORS. 

The  first  Spanish  Governor,  mider  whom  Alta  California  was 
first  settled  by  civilized  people,  in  1769.  and  who  at  that  time  was 
also  Governor  of  old  or  Baja  California,  was  Caspar  dc  Portola,  a 
captain  of  the  Spanish  army,  whose  term  as  Governor  of  the  new 
territory  extended  from  1769  to  July  9,  1770,  when  he  turned  over 
the  government  to  Pedro  Pages  as  miHtar)-  commandante. 

Two  missions  were  founded  during  the  term  of  Governor  de 
Portola,  viz:  that  of  San  Diego,  July  16,  1769,  and  thai  of  San 
Carlos  de  Monterey.  July  14,  1771;  also  two  Presidios  or  military 
posts,  one  at  San  Dt^o,  In  1769,  and  the  other  at  Monterey  in 
1770. 

Governor  de  Portola  headed  an  exploring  expedition  by  land 
from  San  Diego  to  the  bay  of  San  Francisco,  soon  after  his  arrival 
in  tlie  new  territory. 

Friar  Junipero  Serra  was  at  the  head  of  the  missionary  estab- 
lishments during  the  administration  of  Governor  de  Portola  and  of 


268 


BiirroRtcAi.  Bocirrv  ov  soothbuh  cai.iporvia 


two  or  three  oi  the  Govcniore  who  succccdcU  him. 

The  successor  of  de  Portola  as  Civil  Governor  was  Felipe  de 
Barri,  whose  jurisdiction  extended  over  both  tlie  Califomias,  though 
he  never  resided  in  the  new  province.  His  term  expired  in  1775. 
The  missions  founded  during  his  administration  were:  San  An- 
tonio de  Padua,  July  14,  1771;  San  Gabriel,  Arcangel.  SepL  8,  1771; 
San  Luis  Obispo.  Sept.  i,  1772.  Personally,  Governor  de  Barri  ex- 
erted hut  little  influence  on  the  affairs  of  /Vita  California. 

The  next  Governor  was  Felipe  de  Neve,  the  founder  of  the 
Pueblo  of  Los  Angeles,  whose  term  extended  from  March  4,  1775. 
to  Sept.  10,  1782,  or  for  about  seven  and  a  half  years.  Governor 
de  Ne\*e  was,  at  the  time  of  his  apix>intment.  a  major  of  Spanish 
cavalry,  being  thereafter  promoted  successively  to  the  offices  of  col- 
onel, brigadier  general,  inspector  general,  and  commandante  general 
of  Provincias  Intcrnas,  He  was  one  of  California's  ablest  Govern- 
ors, and  a  constructive  statesman  who  would  have  commanded  re- 
spect in  any  country. 

He  inaugurated  in  California  the  policy  of  founding  civic  as 
distinguished  from  religious  institutions,  in  the  form  of  pueblos 
wherein  ilic  people,  instead  of  clericals,  should  govern.  His  "Reg- 
lamento"  or  system  for  the  government  of  California  remained 
in  force  from  his  time  till  the  coming  of  the  Americans,  and  in  fact, 
in  some  qualified  form,  to  this  day. 

The  two  pueblos  or  seailar  towns  founded  by  him,  and  the 
dates  thereof  were:  San  Jose,  Nov.  29,  1777;  Los  Angeles,  Sept 
4,  1781 ;  besides,  under  the  energetic  policy  of  Fatlier  Jnnipero,  the 
following  missions  were  established  during  his  term:  Dolores  (at 
San  Francisco),  Oct.  9.  1776:  San  Juan  Capistrano.  Nov.  1,  1776; 
Santa  Gara.  July  18,  1777;  San  Gabriel.  .Archangel.  Sept.  8,  1778; 
San  Huenaventura.  March  3.  1782.  together  with  these  twopresidio3 
o.' militarj' p-jsts :    San  Francisco,  1776;  Santa  Barbara,  1780. 

In  fact,  the  founding  of  these  two  secular  pueblos  was 
commencement  of  the  foundation  of  a  civil  state  The  utter  fail-' 
ureof  the  missionaries,  despite  their  strenuous  tabors,  to  make  self- 
governing  citizens  of  the  California  Indians,  compelled  the  gov- 
ernment in  after  years  to  follow  up  the  good  beginning  made  by 
the  father  of  Los  Angeles,  Governor  de  Neve,  and  thoroughly  secu- 
larize the  entire  system  of  local  government  of  the  territory. 

Don  Pedro  Pages,  a  Spanish  lieutenant  of  Catalan  volunteers, 
who  had  served  in  various  official  capacities  in  Alta  California,  suc- 
ceeded de  Neve  as  Governor,  his  term  extending  from  Sept  10. 
1782,  to  -^pril  16,  1790,  or  nearly  eight  years.     Pages,  like  djc, 


EABLY  OOVEnKOBS   OF   AI.TA   CALIKO&ITtA 


259 


Neve,  was  an  able  ofticer,  and  a  man  of  great  decision  and  force 
of  character.  During  his  official  term  the  Santa  Barbara  mission 
was  established  Dec  4,  1786,  and  La  Purisima,  Dec.  8,  1787. 

On  the  death  of  the  president  of  the  missions,  Jimipero  Serra, 
Aug.  28,  1784,  Father  Tomas  Estencga  became  the  president 

JOSE  AXTONIO  ROMEU 

was  the  next  civil  Governor  of  California,  his  term  ccmimencing 
April  16,  i79t,  and  terminating  at  his  rleaih,  April  9,  1792.  Dm-- 
ing  his  administration  a  mission  was  foxmded  Sept.  25,  1791,  at 
Santa  Cruz,  and  another  at  La  Soledad,  Oct.  9,  1791. 

Romeu's  occupancy  of  the  Governorship  was  brief,  and  his  in- 
fluence, like  that  of  Governor  de  Barri.  on  the  affairs  of  the  pro- 
vince, was.  compared  with  that  of  others,  unimportant. 

On  the  death  of  Governor  Romcu,  the  Lieutenant  Governor  of 
the  Califomias.  Jose  Joaquin  de  Arrillaga,  then  residing  at  Loreto, 
Baja  California,  became  Governor  ad  interim,  and,  by  order  of  the 
Viceroy  he  came  to  Monterey  in  July  1793.  He  i>erformed  the 
duties  of  Governor  till  the  arrival  at  Monterey  of  his  successor. 
Governor  Borica,  in  October,  1794,  when  he  returned  to  Loreto, 
and  to  his  old  duties  of  Lieutenant  Governor. 

But  on  the  resignation  of  Borica  in  1800  on  account  of  ill 
health,  de  Arrillaga  again  became  Govenior  ad  interim  of  the  Cali- 
fomias; and  in  1804  he  was  appointed  military  and  political  Gov- 
ernor of  Alta  California,  which  office  he  continued  to  fill  till  his 
death,  which  occurred  at  I^  Soledad  mission,  July  24,  1814. 

Taking  into  account  the  time  Governor  de  Arrillaga  served  as 
Governor,  and  as  acting  or  ad  interim  Governor  by  virtue  of  his 
official  position  as  Lieutenant  Governor,  his  services  extended  over 
a  longer  period  than  that  of  any  other  incumbent.  And,  according 
to  all  accounts,  he  was  in  e\'ery  respect  a  m'xiel  Governor.  During 
his  term  Santa  Ynez  mission  was  founded.  Sept.  17,  1804. 

The  seventh  Spanish  Governor  of  California  was  Di^o  Borica, 
whose  official  term- began  in  Octoljer.  1794,  and  closed  January  16, 
1800.  His  administration  was  memorable  in  many  respects.  As 
Bancroft  truly  says:  "He  was  one  of  the  ablest  and  best  rulers  the 
country  ever  had,  always  striving  for  progress  in  different  direc- 
tions, avoiding  controversy,  and  per.sonally  interesting  himself  in 
the  welfare  of  all  classes."  etc. 

The  following  missions  were  established  whilst  he  was  Gover- 
nor, viz:  San  Jose,  June  11,  1797;  San  Juan  Bautista,  June  24. 
J797;  San  Miguel.  July  25.  1797:  San  Fernando.  Sept.  8.  1797: 
San  Luis  Rev,  June  13,  1798. 


Ml 


HisraaicAi.  socimr  or  Bouriusif  caufobnu 


An  the  foregoing  officials  were,  I  belie\  e,  natives  of  Spain.  But 
the  next  Gtivernor — successor  of  de  AmIIaga — under  the  Spanish 
regime  in  California,  Jose  Dario  Arguello.  was  a  native  of  Querc- 
tarty,  Mexico.  On  the  death  of  Governor  de  Arrillaga  in  July, 
1814,  Argudlo,  being  the  ranking  officer  in  California,  became  act- 
ing Governor,  serving  in  that  capacity  till  October.  1815,  when, 
liavnig  been  apijoinlcd  Governor  of  Baja  California,  be  gave  way 
to  his  successor,  PaWo  Vicente  dc  Sda,  the  tenth  and  last  Governor 
of  Alta  California  under  the  rule  of  Spain.  De  Sola  was  a  native 
of  Spain.  His  term  of  ofnce  as  Governor  of  California  extended 
from  August,  1815,  to  November,  1822,  or  till  the  establishment 
of  Mexican  independence;  and  he  remained  Governor  till  the  next 
year  (1823).  Tlie  missions  founded  during  this  period  were:  San 
Rafael,  Dec  14.  1817;  San  Francisco  Solano.  Aug.  25,  1S23. 

I  a{^>end  a  tabular  list  of  Spanish  Governors: 

1.  Gaspar  dc  Portola 1769  to  1771 

2.  Felipe  dc  Barn 1771  to  1775 

3.  Felipe  de  Neve 1775  to   1782 

4.  Pedro  Pages 1782  to  1791 

5.  Jose  Antonio  Romeu 1791  to  1782 

6.  Jose  Joaquin  de  Arrillaga  (ad  int) 1792  to  1794 

7.  Diego  dc  Borica 1794  to  1800 

8.  Jose  Joaquin  de  Arrillaga 1800  to  1814 

9.  Jose  Dario  Arguello  (ad  int.) 1814  to  1815 

10.     Pablo  Vicente  de  Sola 1815  to  1822 


BATTLE  OF  DOMINGUEZ  RANCH 


I 


BY  J.  U.  GUINN. 

Of  the  notable  events  occurring  during  the  conquest  of  Cali- 
fornia there  are  few  others  of  which  there  are  so  contradictory  ac- 
counts as  that  known  as  the  battle  of  Dominguez  Ranch. 

C^itain  William  Mervine,  who  commanded  the  American  forces 
in  the  fight,  made  no  official  report,  or  if  he  did  it  was  not  pub- 
lished. Historians  in  their  accounts  of  llic  battle  have  collected  their 
data  from  hearsay  and  not  from  written  reports  of  officers  engaged 
in  it.  In  regard  to  Uie  number  etigagcd  and  the  number  killed  and 
wounded  even  Bancroft,  usually  the  most  reliable  of  California  his- 
torians, has  no  accurate  report.  The  reports  of  the  number  engaged 
on  the  American  side  varies  with  different  authors  from  250  to 
400.  and  the  number  killed  from  four  to  fifteen.  It  has  been  my 
good  furtune.  through  the  kindness  of  Dr.  J.  E.  Cowles  of  this 
city,  to  obtain  for  the  Historical  Society  a  log  book  of  the  U.  S. 
frigate  Savannah  kept  by  his  uncle,  Robert  C.  Duvall,  who  was  an 
officer  on  that  vessel.  Lieutenant  Duvall  had  command  of  a  com- 
pany of  Colt's  riflemen  in  the  battle.  After  his  return  to  the  ship 
he  wrote  a  full,  clear  and  accurate  report  of  the  march,  battle  and 
retreat.  I  transcribe  the  greater  portion  of  his  account.  It  is  un- 
doubtedly the  best  report  of  that  affair  in  existence. 

It  wilt  be  recollected  that  Lieutenant  Gilltspic  liad  been  left  by 
Commodore  Stockton  with  a  force  of  fifty  men  to  garrison  Los 
Angeles.  An  insurrection  headed  by  Flores  and  Varela  broke  out 
.^fter  a  siege  of  five  or  six  days  Gillespie  and  bis  men  evacuated 
the  city  and  retreated  to  San  Pedro  Lieut.  Gillespie,  during  the 
siege,  sent  a  messenger  to  Stockton  at  San  Francisco  for  reinforce- 
ments. Juan  Flaco.  the  courier,  reached  San  Francisco  after  a  ride 
of  600  miles  in  five  days— one  of  the  most  wonderful  rides  in  his- 
tory. Commodore  Stockton  received  the  dispatches  or  rather  the 
message  of  Gillespie's  courier  on  the  30th  of  SejJtember.  Early  on 
the  morning  of  October  ist  the  Sa\-annah.  Capt.  William  Mervine, 
was  ordered  to  get  under  way  for  San  Pedro  with  a  force  to  relieve 
Lieut.  Gillespie.  "At  9:30  a.  m.."  sa>'S  Lieut.  Duvall,  "we  com- 
menced working  out  of  the  harbor  of  San  Francisco  on  the  ebb 
tide.    The  ship  anchored  at  Sausalito,  where  on  account  of  a  dense 


'Ml 


HDTOKICAL  SOCUCTY  OP   aOVTaiBM  CALtTOSLMtA. 


iog  it  remained  until  the  4th,  when  it  put  to  sea.  On  the  7th  the 
ship  entcret]  ihc  liarhor  of  San  Pedro.  At  6:30  p.  m.,  as  we  were 
standing  in  for  anchorage,  we  made  out  the  .\merican  merchant 
ship  Vandaha,  having  on  her  decks  a  body  of  men.  On  passings  she 
saluted  with  two  guns  which  was  repeated  with  three  cheers,  which 
we  returned.  Brevet  Captain  Archibald  Gillespie  came  on  board 
and  reported  that  he  had  evacuated  the  Pueblo  de  Los  Angeles  on 
account  of  the  overpowering  force  of  the  enemy,  and  had  retired 
with  his  men  on  board  the  Vandalia,  after  having  spiked  his  guns, 
one  of  which  he  threw  into  the  water.  He  also  reported  that  the 
whole  of  California  below  the  pueblo  had  risen  in  arms  against  our 
authorities,  headed  by  Flores,  a  Mexican  captain  on  furlough  in  this 
country,  who  had  but  a  few  days  ago  given  his  parole  of  honor  not 
to  take  up  arms  against  the  United  States.  We  made  prq>aratiDn5 
to  land  a  force  to  march  to  the  pueblo  at  daylight." 

Oct.  8  at  6  a.  m.  all  the  boats  left  the  ship  for  the  purpose  of 
landing  the  forces,  numbering  in  all  299  men,  including  the  volun- 
teers under  command  of  Capt.  (Jillespie.  At  6:30  all  were  landed 
without  opposition,  the  enemy  in  small  detachments  retreating  to- 
ward the  pueblo.  From  tlwir  movements  we  apprehended  that  their 
large  force  was  near.  Capt.  Mcr\*ine  sent  on  l>oard  ship  for  a  re- 
inforcement of  eighty  men  under  command  of  Lieut.  R.  B.  Hitch- 
•cock.  At  8  a.  m.  the  se\'eral  companies,  all  under  command  of 
■Captain  William  Mervine,  took  up  the  line  of  march  for  the  purpose 
of  retaking  the  pueblo.  The  enemy  retreated  as  our  forces  ad- 
vanced. (On  landing  VVm.  A.  Smith,  first  cabin  boy,  was  killed 
"by  the  accidental  discharge  of  a  Colt's  pistol).  The  reinforcements 
tinder  the  command  of  Lieut.  R.  B.  Hitchcock  returned  on  board 
ship.  For  the  first  four  miles  our  march  was  through  hills  and 
ravines  which  the  enemy  might  have  taken  advantage  of,  but  pre- 
ferred to  occupy  as  spectators  only,  until  our  approach.  A  few  shots 
from  our  flankers  (who  were  the  volunteer  riflemen)  would  start 
them  off;  they  returning  the  compliment  before  going.  The  re- 
mainder of  our  march  was  performed  over  a  continuous  plain  over- 
grown with  wild  mustard,  rising  in  places  to  six  or  eight  feet  in 
height.  The  ground  was  excessively  dry.  the  clouds  of  dust  were 
suffocating  and  there  was  not  a  breath  of  wind  in  motion.  There 
was  no  water  on  our  line  of  march  for  ten  or  twelve  miles  and  we 
suffered  greatly  from  thirst 

"At  2:30  p.  m.  we  reached  our  camping  ground.  The  enemy 
appeared  in  considerable  numbers.  Their  numbers  continued  to  in- 
crease until  towards  sun  down,  when  they  formed  on  a  hill  near 


BATTLS   OP   DOMINOtJEZ   RANCH 


'iei 


US,  gradually  inclining  towards  our  camp.  They  were  admirably 
formed  for  a  cavalry  charge.  We  drew  up  our  forces  to  mLi.-l  ihem, 
but  finding  they  were  disposed  to  remain  stationary  the  marines 
under  command  of  Capt.  Marston,  the  Colt's  riflement  under  com- 
mand of  Lieut.  I-  B.  Carter  and  myscU,  and  the  volunteers  under 
command  of  Capt  A.  Gillespie,  were  ordered  to  charge  on  them, 
which  we  did.  They  stood  their  ground  until  our  shots  cunmienced 
"telling"  on  tliem,  when  they  took  to  flight  in  every  direction.  They 
continued  to  annoy  us  by  firing  into  our  camp  through  the  night. 
About  2  a.  m.  they  brought  a  piece  of  artillery  and  fired  into  our 
camp,  the  shot  striking  the  ground  near  us.  The  marines,  riflemen 
and  volunteers  were  sent  in  pursuit  of  the  gun,  but  could  see  or 
hear  nothing  of  it. 

■'We  left  our  camp  the  next  morning  at  6  a.  m.  Our  plan  of 
march  was  in  columns  by  platoon.  We  had  not  proceeded  far  before 
the  eneniy  appeared  liefore  us.  drawn  up  on  cacli  side  of  the  road, 
mounted  on  fine  horses  each  man  armed  with  a  lance  and  carbine. 
They  also  had  a  field  piece  (a  four-pounder)  to  which  were  hitched 
eight  or  ten  horses,  placed  on  the  road  ahead  of  us. 

"Capt.  Mer\'ine,  thinking  that  it  was  the  enemy's  intention  to 
thrown  us  into  confusion  by  using  their  gim  on  us  loaded  with 
round  shot  and  copper  grape  shot,  and  then  cliarge  us  with  their 
cavalry,  ordered  us  to  form  a  square — which  was  the  order  of  mardi 
throughout  the  battle.  When  within  about  four  hundred  yards  of 
tl-—  the  enemy  opened  fire  on  us  with  their  artillery.  We  made 
frequent  charges,  driving  them  before  us,  and  at  one  time  causing 
them  to  leave  some  of  their  cannon  balls  and  cartridges;  but  owing 
to  the  rapidity  with  which  they  could  carry  off  the  gun,  using  their 
lassos  on  every  part,  enabled  Iheni  to  choose  their  own  distance. 
entirely  out  of  all  range  of  our  muskets.  Their  horsemen  kept  out 
of  danger,  apparently  content  to  let  the  gun  do  the  fighting.  They 
kcitt  up  a  amstant  fire  with  their  carbine  but  these  did  no  harm. 
The  enemy  numbered  between  175  and  200  strong. 

"Finding  it  impossible  to  capture  the  gun,  the  retreat  was  sound- 
ed. The  captain  consulted  with  his  officers  on  the  best  steps  to  be 
taken.  It  was  decided  unanimously  to  return  on  hoard  ship.  To 
continue  the  march  would  sacrifice  a  number  of  lives  to  no  purpose, 
for.  admitting  we  could  have  reached  the  pueblo  alt  communica- 
tions would  be  cut  off  with  the  ship  and  we  would  further  be  con- 
stantly annoyed  by  their  artillery  without  the  least  chance  of  cap- 
turing it.  It  was  reported  that  the  enemy  were  between  five  and 
six  hundred  strong  at  the  city  and  it  was  thought  he  had  more  artil- 


'JM 


nUTOEIC&L  KICUCTY   OT  mXTJULMM  CAXIFORVU 


kry.  On  retreating  they  got  the  gun  planted  oo  a  hill  ahead  of  ufc. 
The  captain  made  tis  an  address  saying  to  the  tnxips  that  h  wa* 
lii»  iutention  lu  march  straight  ahead  in  the  same  orderly  manner  in 
whidi  we  had  advanced  and  that  sooner  than  he  would  surrender 
tc  &uch  an  enemy  he  would  sacrifice  himself  and  every  other  man 
in  hii  command.  The  enemy  fired  inui  us  four  times  on  the  retreat, 
die  fourth  sU'A  falhng  short,  the  report  of  the  gun  indicating  a  small 
quantity  of  powder,  after  which  lliey  remained  stationary  and  mani- 
(c»led  no  further  disposition  to  molest  us.  We  proceeded  quietly 
on  our  march  to  the  landing,  where  we  fuund  a  lx»dy  of  mm  under 
command  of  Lieut.  Hitchcock  with  two  nine-pounder  cannon  got 
from  the  V'andaJia  to  render  \ii  a&sigtance  in  case  wc  should  need  iL 

"We  presented  truly  a  pitiable  condition,  many  being  barely  aWe 
to  drag  one  f'xii  after  the  other  from  excessive  fatigue,  having  gone 
through  the  exertion-s  and  excitement  in  battle  and  afterwards  per- 
forming a  march  of  eighteen  or  twenty  miles  without  rest. 

"This  is  the  first  battle  I  have  ever  been  engaged  in  and  haN-ing 
particular  notice  of  those  around  mc  I  can  assert  that  no  men  could 
have  acted  more  bravely.  Even  when  their  shipmates  were  falling 
by  their  sides  1  saw  but  one  impulse  and  that  was  to  push  forward, 
and  when  the  retreat  was  ordered  I  noticed  a  general  reluctance  to 
turn  their  backs  to  the  enemy. 

"The  following  is  a  list  of  the  killed  and  wounded :  Michad 
Hoey  (ordinary  svanian)j  killed;  David  Johnson  (ordinary  seaman), 
killed;  William  11.  Berry  (ordinary'  seaman),  mortally  wounded; 
Charles  SoninMrrs  (musician),  mortally  wounded:  John  Tyre  (sea- 
man), severely  wounded;  John  Anderson  (seaman),  severely 
wounded,  recovery  doubtful.  The  following  named  were  slightly 
wounded:  William  Couland  (marine).  Hiram  Rockvill  (marine). 
H.  Sinland  (marine),  Jas.  Smith  (marine). 

''On  the  following  morning  we  buried  the  bodies  of  William  A 
Smith,  Qiarles  Sommers,  David  Johnson  and  Michael  Hoey  on  an 
island  in  the  harbor.  At  ii  a.  m.  the  captain  called  a  council  of 
commissioned  oOicers  regarding  the  pro]>er  course  to  adopt  in  the 
present  crisis,  which  decided  that  no  force  should  be  landed  and 
that  the  ship  remain  here  until  further  orders  from  the  Commodore, 
who  is  daily  expected."  Entry  in  the  log  for  Sunday,  i  ith :  "Wil- 
liam H.  Berry  (ordinary  seaman)  departed  this  life  from  the  effect 
of  wounds  received  in  battle.  Sent  his  body  for  interment  to  Dead 
Man's  Island — so  named  by  us.  Mustered  the  command  at  quar- 
ters, after  which  performed  divine  service." 

From  this  account  it  will  be  seen  that  the  number  killed  and 


i 


SATTLX   OF   DOMIXOUSZ   BAlfCB 


2c& 


died  of  wounds  received  in  battle  was  four;  number  wounded,  six; 
and  one  accidentally  killed  before  the  battle.  On  October  22d 
Henry  Lewis  died  and  was  buried  on  the  island.  Lewis's  name  does 
not  appear  in  the  list  of  the  wounded.  It  is  presumed  that  he  died 
of  disease.  Six  of  the  crew  of  the  Savannah  were  buried  on  Dead 
Man's  Island — four  of  whom  wore  killed  in  battle.  Lieut.  Duvall 
gives  the  following  list  of  the  officers  in  the  "Expedition  on  the 
march  to  retake  the  Pueblo  de  Los  Angeles :"  Captain  William  Mer- 
vinc,  commanding;  Captain  Ward  Marston,  commanding  marine.^; 
Brevet  Captain  A.  H.  Gillespie,  commanding  volunteers:  Lieut. 
Henrj'  W.  Queen,  adjutant;  Lieut.  B.  F.  Pinckney,  commanding 
first  company;  Lieut.  W.  Rinckindof?,  commanding  second  com- 
pany; Lieut.  1.  B.  Carter,  commanding  Colt's  riflemen;  Midshipman 
R.  D.  Minor,  acting  lieutenant  second  company;  Midshipman  S.  P. 
Griffin,  acting  lieutenant  first  company;  Midshipman  P.  G.  Wal- 
moiigh,  acting  lieutenant  second  company;  Midshipman  R.  C.  Du- 
vall, acting  lieutenant  Colt's  riflemen:  Captain  Clark  and  Captain 
Goodsall.  commanding  pikemen;  Lieut.  Ilensley.  first  lieutenant  vol- 
unteers; Lieut.  Russeau,  second  lieutenant  volunteers. 

The  piece  of  artillery  that  did  such  deadly  execution  on  the 
Americaas  was  the  famous  Old  Woman's  gun.  It  was  a  bronze 
four-pounder  or  pedrero  (swivel  gun)  that  for  a  number  of  years 
had  stood  on  the  Plaza  in  front  of  the  church  and  was  used  for 
firing  salutes  on  feast  days  and  other  occasions.  When  on  the 
approach  of  Stockton's  and  Fremont's  forces  Castro  abandoned  his 
artillery  and  fled,  an  old  lady.  Dona  Oara  Cota  de  Rej'es,  declared 
tliat  tlie  gringos  should  not  have  the  church's  gun.  So.  with  the 
assistance  of  her  daughters,  she  buried  it  in  a  cane  patch  near  her 
residence,  which  stood  on  the  east  side  of  Alameda  street  near  First. 
When  the  Califoniians  re^-olted  against  Gillespie's  rule  the  gun  was 
unearthed  and  used  against  him. 

The  Historical  Society  of  Southern  California  has  in  its  possM- 
sion  a  brass  grape  shot — one  of  a  charge  that  was  fired  into  the  face 
of  Fort  Hill  at  Gillespie's  men  when  they  were  posted  on  the  hill. 
This  old  gun  was  in  the  exhibit  of  trophies  at  the  New  Orleans 
Exposition  in  1885.  The  label  on  it  read:  "Trophy  53.  No.  63. 
Class  7.  Used  by  Mexico  against  the  United  States  at  the  battle 
of  Dnmtnguex  Ranch.  October  9.  1846;  at  San  Gabriel  and  the 
Mesa  Jan.  8  and  9,  1847.  Used  by  the  United  States  forces  against 
Mexico  at  Mazatlan.  Novemlwr  11.  1847:  Urios,  (crew  all  kilted 
Of  wounded).  Palos  Prielos.  December  13.  1847.  ^nd  I-ower  Cali- 
fornia, Feb.  15,  1848."    It  should  be  obtained  from  the  government 


and  brought  back  to  Los  Angeles.  Before  the  battle  thi 
had  been  mounted  on  the  forward  axle  of  a  Jersey  wagon  which  a 
man  by  the  name  of  Hunt  had  brought  across  the  plains  the  year 
before.  It  was  lashed  to  the  axle  by  means  of  rawhide  thongs  and 
was  drawn  by  riatas  as  described  by  Lieut.  Duvall.  The  range 
was  obtained  by  raising  or  lowering  the  |x>!c  of  the  wagon.  Ijjnacio 
Aguitar  acted  as  gunner,  and  having  neither  lanvard  nor  pentstuck 
U)  fire  it,  he  touched  off  the  gim  with  the  lighted  end  of  a  cigarette: 
Never  before  or  since  perhaps  was  a  battle  won  with  such  crude 
artillery.  Jose  Antonio  Carrillo  was  in  cotnmand  of  the  Californians. 
During  the  skirmishing  of  the  first  day  he  had  between  eighty  and 
ninety  men.  During  the  night  of  the  8th  Flpres  joined  him  with 
a  force  of  sixty  men.  Next  moniing  Flores  returned  to  Los  An- 
geles, taking  with  him  twenty  men.  Carrillo's  force  in  the  battle 
numbered  about  1 20  men.  h 

Had  Mervine  known  that  the  Californians  had  fired  their  last  J 
shot- — their  powder  being  exli^usled — he  could  have  pushed  on  and 
ccptured  the  pueblo. 


REPORT  OF  THE  SECRETARY 

1899. 

7b  (he  Others  and  Sfcmbtrs  0/  tM  Historical  Society  fff  Southern  Cali/omia.' 
tbeg  icave  to  submit  Ute  followinQ  report: 

Number  of  Meetitigs  Heia „ „ S 

Nomber  of  Papers  Read 16 

JANUARY. 

Inaagnral  Addreu Pmideiit  A.  B.  Vera 

Some  AfriCAn  Folk  Lore J.  D.  Hoody 

FEBRUARY. 

Y^kdo  Del  Valle - B.  D.  Barrowt 

Mnj  Iltutre  ATtmtimleoto »..■.« J.  M.  Galon 

APRIL. 

Tbe  Early  Spanish  Covemon  of  California .-«, H.  D.  Barrows 

Howlhe  Earth  Was  Peopled A.  E.  Verex 

MAY. 

Baity  Hlssious  Riid  MiMioaarica  of  California, Rev.  J.  Adam 

The  Rise  aad  Fall  of  the  Caliromia  Missiom. P.J.  PoUvy 

JUHB. 

The  Pious  Fund .....Rct.  J.  Adam 

Tbe  B«tUe  of  r>oiningatt  Ranch J.  M.  GmnQ 

OCTOBER. 

Don  Atiel  Stcaini H.  X>.  Barrows 

HotueA  and  Home  Life  in  Old  Los  Angeles J.  M.  Gmno 

KOVBMBBR. 

Joan  Baodini H.  D.  Barrows 

Across  the  Colorado  Desert  Fifly  Years  Ago Edward  Cokcr 

(Kesd  by  Bdwin  Baxter) 
DBCBMBBR. 

The  Value  ol  an  Historical  Sodc^ .Walter  R.  Baoon 

TheStory  of  a  Flaxa „ „ ..J.  M.  Gnlno 

The  Society  in  this  Issue  publishes  a  complete  Hat  of  the  namea  of  the 
Pioneers;  also,  by  reqnesi,  rcptiblinlie:>  tbe  Coii»titution  and  Bj-Iaws  of  the 
Society  of  Pioneers.  In  thin,  ss  well  as  in  all  previous  pnblicsUona  of  tbe  Sodety. 
it  is  nodcnitood  the  am  horn  and  not  tbe  Society  are  responsible  for  the  sUtements 
made  in  their  papers,  and  for  the  rlews  and  opinions  expressed. 

Rcapectfally  sabmltted* 

J.  M.  GUINTJ.  Secretary. 


Whole  nnmbei  of  bonsd  ▼olumu  »ad  paniphleU  In  the  Llbrmi7,  5425. 

The  Sodct  J  bu  ncelvM  from  Dr.  J.  K.  Cowlu  of  Utis  city,  tbc  donatioa  of 
•  very  vmloftble  Hlstorioil  Manascrlpt  Volame.  It  U  a  Log  book  of  the  U.  3, 
FHK*te  SavsniMb,  I'ltgafaip  of  Commodore  John  O.  Sloat,  Commaoder-ln -Chief  of 
Uw  U.  S.  Pacific  Squadron  It  begiai  when  the  «hlp  waa  Ijiag  in  the  harbor  of 
Callao,  Peru,  March  24,  [84$,  sod  end*  March  S.  1847,  with  tbc  abip'a  strivnl  in 
Hew  York  harbor,  after  •  cmiae  of  3  yearn  1 1  iDODtha  and  19  6mj».  Thla  Log 
book  waa  kept  br  Hldshlpmanand  Actlog  Llent.  Robert  C.  DnTsl),  an  nnclc  of 
m.  J .  E.  Cowlea.  The  important  hiatorical  part  of  It  pertaining  to  California 
besinfi  with  tbe  arriyal  of  the  Savaoaab  In  the  hxrbor  of  Monterey,  July  3.  1846. 
It  cootaloi  a  full  and  accurate  account  of  the  battle  ol  Domlngun  RaiKh;  ol  the 
expedition  from  San  Diego  to  teacue  Gen.  Kearny  and  Ua  men  after  the  disafitrons 
battle  of  San  Paaqnal;  and  of  (he  march  of  Stockton's  and  KeAiny's  forces  frms 
San  Diego  to  Loa  Angelea  In  January  1847,  which  reanlted  In  the  eaptore  of  the 
city.  In  all  tbeae  laoTeraenta  UeuL  Durall  participated  and  docribes  them  fmni 
the  standpoint  of  an  eye  wLtnesa. 

The  ihanks  of  the  Society  arc  tendered  to  Dr.  J.  E.  Cowlea  and  to  bis  tmcle. 
Capt.  H.  C.  Cowlea,  of  Statesrille,  N.  C,  for  this  Tsluab'.e  donation. 

The  Rev.  J  Adam,  an  old  valueil  memberof  the  Society,  before  hUdcpaftare 
for  Spain  la*t  *uix>mer,  presented  to  the  Society  a  coUecttDU  of  old  Spaniab  mann* 
■cripts  pertaining  to  the  Misfiions  and  tbc  early  days  of  Califorets. 

The  thanks  of  the  Society  are  tendered  to  the  Rer.  J.  Adam  for  his  valnablc 
aonsnon. 

J.U.  GUINN,  Curmtor. 


TREASURER'S  REPORT 

1S99  RBCEIPTS. 

Jaonary  a— Balance  on  band  at  this  date  as  per  last  report $  75  70 

Peby.  9— Rceeiwed  from  Pioneers  Society 40  «• 

Donations. to  cx> 

To  Dec.  31 — Received  dnes  from  Members  Historical  Sodety »....  59  35 

Received  membership  fee l  00 

Oct.  tl — Received  for  publications  aold  (Sutter  docnment] $  00 

Total  Receipts 4  I9t  99 

1899  DISfiURSRMBNTS. 

March  4— l'«id  for  photographic  work  (Annnal  of  1898]  ~$      a  50 

"       15— Paid  for  printinji;  Anniutl Ill  00 

"      aS — Sundries  exveusea  of  Secretary »        5  40 

May  t8—Po9(al  cards  snd  printing i  75 

Dec.  30— Secretary'ii  bill,  pawtttgc,  express  etc      « - ^ 8  90 

"  Postage  70  cents,  rubtxr  sUmp  35,  two. 96 

Total  DisburseiDeots $  131  50 

Total  Receipts .fi9r  95 

Total  Disbursements 131  5>j 

Balance  ou  hand. S  ^  AS 

E.  BAXTER. 
January  i,  1900.  Treasurer. 


PIONEER  REGISTER 


Pioneers  of  Los  Angeles  County. 


OFFICERS  OF  THE  SOCIETY 
1899-1900. 


BOARD  OP  DIRECTORS. 
Wm.  R.  Workhak,  J.  M.  GmNN, 

Loco  ROKDKK,  K.  D.  Wux, 

Bbn.  S.  Eaton,  M.  TB8d. 

J.  W.  GltLBTTS. 

OFFICERS. 

Wh.  R.  Woseuah « PresUent 

K.  D.  WtSB « Vint  Vice  Preudeot 

U.  Tkkd „ Second  Vice-President 

Louis  ROXdrk TrcAJtmr 

J.  M.  GniKN S»cret«JT 

COMMITTEE  ON  MEMBBRSHIP. 

AvQVtr  Scaiam,  M.  P.  Qoinm,  J.  W.  Guxnm 

COMMITTEE  ON  PINANCB. 

Gao.  W.  Hazabd,  C.  N.  wn,»oir,  Joxl  B.  Pamkes 

COMMITTER  ON  LITERARY  EXERCISE. 

H.  D.  Barrows,         J.  W.  GnxBTTR,  Wm.  H.  Workman,         J.  M.  Gcink 

B.  S.  Baton,     "  Mrs.  Mart  PRAKKurr. 

COMMrtTER  ON  MUSIC. 

I/wit  Roxoitm,   J.  C.  DwrTRR.    M.  krkmkr,    Dr.  K.  D,  Wism,    M.  F.  Qrnnn, 

Wbi.  F.  ORO!$aSR.  Mrs.  S.  C.  YarhCU^ 

COMMITTEE  ON  ENTERTAINMENT. 
Mrs.  J.  W.  GiLLmrs.  Mrs.  Dora  bii.drrhiicr,  Mrs.  K.  D.  Wisv, 

Urs.  M.  Tsbd,     GffO.  W.  Hazard,      Jobk  U.  SlaochTKR.      GsO.  T.  McLaM. 


PIONEERS  OF  LOS  ANGELES  COUNTY 

CONSTITUTIOK. 

[Adopted  Septeuber  4,  1897.] 

ARTICLE  I. 

This  society  shall  be  known  as  The  Pioneers  of  Los  Angeles 
Cottnly.  Its  objects  arc  to  cultivate  social  intercourse  and  friend- 
ships among-  its  members  and  to  collect  and  preserve  the  early  his- 
tory of  Los  Angeles  county,  and  i>erpetuate  the  memory  of  lliose 
who,  by  their  honorable  laix>rs  and  heroism,  helped  to  make  that 
history. 

All  persons  of  good  moral  cliaracter,  thirty  five  years  of  age  or 
over,  who,  at  the  date  of  their  application,  shall  have  resided  at 
least  twenty-five  years  in  Los  Angeles  county,  shall  be  eligible  to 
membership.  (Note. — At  the  meeting  of  January  4,  1898,  it  was 
decided  by  a  vote  of  the  society  that  persons  bom  in  the  state  are 
not  eligible  to  membership.) 

ARTICLE  in. 

The  officers  of  this  society  shall  consist  of  a  board  of  seven  di- 
rectors, to  be  elected  annually  at  the  annual  meeting,  by  the  mem- 
bers of  the  society.  Said  directors  when  elected  shall  choose  a  presi- 
dent, a  first  vice-president,  a  second  vice-president,  a  secretary  and 
a  treasurer.  The  secretary  and  treasurers  may  be  elected  from  the 
members  outside  the  board  of  directors. 

ARTICLE  IV. 
The  annual  meeting  of  tliis  society  shall  be  held  on  the  fourth 
day  of  September,  that  being  the  anniversary  of  the  first  civic  set- 
tlement in  the  southern  portion  of  Alta  California,  to-wit.  the  found- 
ing of  the  Pueblo  of  Los  Angeles,  September  4,  1781. 

ARTICLE 'V. 
Members  guilty  of  misconduct,  may,  upon  conviction,  after 
proper  investigation  has  been  held,  be  exijetled,  suspended,  fined  or 
reprimanded  by  a  vote  of  two-thirds  of  the  members  present  at  any 
stated  meeting;  provided,  notice  shall  have  been  given  to  the  society 
at  least  one  month  prior  to  such  intended  action.  Any  officer  of  this 
society  may  be  removed  by  the  board  of  directors  for  cause;  pro- 


oofismunoK 


271 


vided.  that  such  rcnwval  shall  not  become  permanent  or  final  until 
approved  by  a  majority  of  members  of  the  society  present  at  a 
slated  meeting  and  voting. 

ARTICLE  VI. 
Amendments  to  this  constitution  may  be  made  by  submitting 
the  same  tn  writing  to  the  board  of  directors  at  least  one  month  prior 
to  the  annual  meeting.  At  said  annual  meeting  said  proposed 
amendment  shall  be  suFmiitted  to  a  vote  of  the  society.  If  said 
amendment  shall  receive  a  two-thirds  vote  of  all  members  present 
and  voting,  the  same  shall  be  declared  adopted. 


BY-LAWS. 


^^^^^  [Adopted  September  4,  1897.] 

I^P  Section  i.  All  members  of  this  society  who  shall  have  signed 
r  the  constitution  and  by-laws,  or  who  shall  have  been  duly  elected 
I  ti)  membership  after  the  adoption  of  the  constitution  and  by-lnws, 

I  shall  be  entitled  to  vote  at  all  meetings  of  the  society. 

Section  2.  The  annual  dues  of  each  member  shall  be  one  dollar, 
payable  in  advance. 

Section  3.  Each  person  on  admission  to  membership  shall  sign 
the  constitution  and  by-laws  \vith  his  or  her  name  in  full,  together 
with  his  or  her  place  of  birth,  age,  residence,  occupation  and  the  day, 
month  and  year  of  hts  or  her  arrival  within,  the  limits  of  Los  An- 
geles county. 

Section  4.  At  the  annual  meeting,  tlie  president  shall  appoint 
a  committee  of  three  on  membership.  He  shall  also  at  the  same 
time  appoint  a  committee  of  three  on  finance.  AH  applications  for 
membership  shall  I)e  referred  to  the  Committee  on  Membership  for 
examination. 

Section  5.  Every  applicant  for  membership  shall  be  recom- 
mended by  two  members  of  the  society  in  good  standing.  The  ap- 
plication shall  state  the  applicant's  full  name,  age,  birthplace,  place  of 
residence,  (Kcupation  and  date  of  his  or  her  arrival  in  the  coimty 
of  Los  Angeles. 

Section  6.  Each  application  must  be  accompanied  by  the  an- 
nual fee  (one  dollar)  and  sliall  lie  over  for  one  month,  when,  a  vote 
shall  be  taken  by  ballot.  Three  negative  votes  shall  cause  the  re- 
jection of  the  applicant 

Section  7.  Any  person  eligible  to  membership  may  be  elected 
V  life  member  of  this  society  on  the  pa\*ment  to  the  treasurer  of  $25. 


372 


nnroRicAi.  socunr  or  woctuehs  cALiroBifU. 


Life  members  shall  enjoy  all  the  pfivilcgcs  of  active  n»embers,  but 
J-*  :J\  luA  be  rc<juired  to  pay  annual  dues. 

Section  8.  The  Finance  Coinniitiee  shall  examine  ail  accuuiHs 
against  the  society,  and  no  bill  ghaJI  be  paid  by  the  treasurer  unless 
approved  by  a  majority  o£  the  Finance  Committee. 

Section  9.  Whatever  a  vacancy  in  any  ofiice  of  this  society 
occurs,  the  Board  of  Directors  shall  call  a  meeting  of  the  society 
within  tliirty  days  thereafter,  when  said  vacancy  shall  be  filled  t^ 
election  for  the  remainder  of  the  unexpired  term. 

Section  ID.  Whenever  the  Board  of  Directors  sliall  be  satisfied 
that  any  worthy  member  of  the  society  is  unable  for  the  time  being 
t';  [lay  the  annual  dues,  as  hereinbefore  prescribed,  it  shall  have  the 
power  to  remit  tlie  same. 

Section  11.  The  stated  meetings  of  this  society  shall  be  held 
on  the  first  Tuesday  of  each  month,  except  the  month  of  Septero- 
ber,  when  the  annual  meeting  shall  take  the  place  of  tlie  monthly 
meeting.  Special  meetings  may  be  called  by  the  president,  or  by  a 
majority  of  the  Board  of  Directors,  but  no  business  shall  be  trans- 
acted at  such  special  meeting  except  that  .specifie<l  in  the  call. 

Section  is.  Changes  and  amendments  of  these  by-laws  may  be 
made  by  submitting  the  same  in  writing  to  the  Board  of  Directors 
at  least  one  motilh  prior  to  any  slated  meeting.  Said  proposed 
amendments  shall  be  submitted  to  a  vote  of  the  society.  If  said 
amendments  shall  receive  a  two-thirds  vote  of  all  members  present 
and  voting,  the  same  shall  be  declared  adopted. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKHTCHES 


STEPHEN  W.  LA  DOW. 

Stephen  W.  La  Dow  died  at  his  home  on  Roscdalc  avenue,  near 
Los  Angeles  city.  January  6,  1899,  aged  76  years.  He  was  a  char- 
ter member  of  the  Pioneers  of  Los  Angtfles.  He  first  canie  to  Los 
Angeles  in  May,  1852,  but  after  a  brief  stay  he  left  for  the  northern 
part  of  the  state,  where  he  engaged  in  raining.  He  returned  to  L^s 
Angeles  in  1863  and  settled  on  a  tract  of  land,  which  now  fomis 
part  of  (he  La  Dow  school  district  adjoining  the  southwestern  bonn- 
dary  of  the  city,  where  he  continued  to  reside  up  to  the  time  of 
his  death.  The  following  biographical  sketch  is  taken  from  the 
History  of  Los  Angeles  published  in  1890: 

STEPHBN   W.    LA   DOW. 

"Of  al!  who  are  represented  in  this  work,  none  arc  more  deserv- 
ing, none  are  more  worthy,  than  lie  whose  name  stands  al  the  head 
of  this  biographical  notice.  He  was  bom  in  Milton,  Saratoga 
county,  New  York,  in  1824.  His  parents  were  Daniel  and  Laura 
(St.  John)  La  Dow.  His  grandfather  had  twenty-three  children. 
by  two  wives,  and  his  father  was  a  native  of  France.  Mr.  l^  Dow's 
maternal  ancestors  were  of  English  origin.  The  subject  of  this 
sketch  is  tlie  fifth  of  seven  children.  His  mother  was  a  first  cousin 
of  P.  T.  Barnum,  her  motlKT,  Huhanna  Taylor,  being  a  sister  of 
Barnum's  mother.  Laura  St.  John  had  Imt  one  brother,  Taylor  St. 
John,  a  well  known  clergyman  in  New  York.  Mr.  La  Dow  was 
married  in  1846  in  his  native  state  to  Margaret  Williams  of  Galway, 
New  York.  By  that  marriage  he  had  two  sons.  Charles  and  John. 
In  i8j2  he  left  his  family  at  the  old  home  and  came  to  California 
via  I*anama  as  a  seeker  of  gold.  >le  arrived  in  Los  .A,ngeles  in  May, 
and  in  July  received  the  sad  intelligence  of  his  wHfe's  death.  His 
home  was  then  broken  up  in  the  east,  and  his  boys  were  taken  care 
of  by  their  grandmother,  Mrs.  McWilliams.  Mr.  La  Dow  went  to 
the  northern  part  of  the  state  where  he  engaged  in  mining  till  1863, 
when  he  returned  and  bought  twenty-fiv»  acres  of  land  near  Los 


274 


anrrofucAJ.  socisty  ok  withbkn  calepobnia 


ho 

'4 


Angeles  and  soon  added  thirty-five  more  acres.    On  this  farni 
lived  until  1868,  when  he  pre-empted  160  acres,  where  he 
soutliwest  of  Los  Angeles  City,  and  erected  a  new  residence  near  the 
La  Dnw  scho<»Ihousc.     In  i860  he  married  Miss  Harriet  Dorman 
of  Stanford,  Maine,  and  they  have  one  daughter,  Hattie  M.,  who 
lias  recently  graduated  at  the  Los  Angeles  high  school.     It  is  alt 
gelhcr  proper  in  this  connection  to  state  that  Mr.  La  Dow's  sons  by 
his  first  wife  are  very  successful  business  men.    Charles  is  an  in 
ventnr  and  machinist,  well  known  throughtmt  the  country.     He  is 
at  Albany.  N.  Y..  has  accumulated  wealth  and  recently  beautified 
the  old  homestead  in  New  York.     John  is  an  inventor,  now  located 
in  Denver.    Mr.  I.^  Dow  gave  one  acre  of  land  to  the  school  dis-H 
trict  in  which  he  lived  and  which  was  named  in  his  honor  the  Lai 
Dow  district,  and  he  has  been  a  trustee  of  the  district  twelve  years 
and  upwards.    He  was  the  first  person  to  take  water  for  irrigating 
purposes  to  that  locality,  which  had  a  very  beneficial  effect  on  the 
material  prosj)erity  of  the  comnuuiity  living  there." 

It  is  ten  years  since  the  above  sketch  was  written.  Mr.  La  Dow 
was  one  of  the  best  citizens  of  Los  Angeles  county  and  lived  a  quiet 
life  on  his  place  up  to  his  death. 

H.  D.  BARROWS. 

GEO.  W.  H.-VZARD. 

F.  W.  PESCHKE. 

Committee. 


I 


A  BIOGI^PHICAL  SKETCH  OF  MR.  E.  N.  McDONALD. 

Once  more  our  Society  of  Pioneers  is  called  upon  to  mourn  the 
loss  of  one  of  its  members,  one  highly  honored  and  respected — Mr. 
E.  N.  McDonald  of  Wilmington.  fl 

Edward  Nathaniel  McDonald  was  born  in  Oswego,  New  Yoric,  " 
May  9th,  1832.    He  was  of  Scotch-Irish  parentage  and  son  of  Colon 
and  Jane  VVinsIow  McDonald.     He  was  the  youngest    of    eleven 
children. 

When  twelve  years  old  he  went  to  Canada,  where  he  remained 
until  he  wag  sixteen  years  old.  when  he  returned  to  Washington 
county.  New  York,  where  he  learned  the  blacksmith  trade.  He  came 
to  California,  arriving  in  San  Francisco  October  17th.  1853.  and 
in  San  Pedro  the  25th  of  the  same  month.  He  worked  at  black- 
smithing  for  Alexander  &  Banning  until  1858.  when  he  went  into 
the  mercantile  business  at  San  Pedro.     Soon  after  he  moved  his 


DIOORAPUICAL   SKBTCHKS  27S 

Wilmington,  where  he  sold  out  and  entered  the 
employ  of  Banning  &  Company  as  superintendent  of  the  building 
of  wharves  and  warehouses,  etc  In  1859  in  company  with  S.  H. 
Wilson,  he  went  into  the  shcej)  raising  business  on  Catalina  Island 
and  continued  in  that  business  until  1862,  when,  by  the  dry  season 
and  low  prices  he  lost  all  his  pro[)erty.  Conmiencing  again  at  the 
foot  of  the  ladder,  he  entered  the  employment  of  Banning  &  Co.,  as 
wagon  master,  and  soon  liad  general  charge  of  their  freight  business 
and  workshops,  where  he  continued  until  after  the  civil  war.  In 
1865  he  engaged  in  the  butcher  business  in  Wilmington.  October 
19,  iRi^s,  Mr.  McDonald  married  Miss  Man,-  Hamilton  Winslow  of 
Washinglnn  county.  N^ew  York.  In  1866  he  went  to  Arizona  to  fill 
a  governmetit  contract,  where  he  netted  $15,000  in  one  year.  Re- 
turning to  his  home  in  Wilmington  in  1867,  he  invested  his  money 
VA  land  and  sheep  with  good  succcw.  and  continued  in  the  sheep  busi- 
ness for  fourteen  years.  From  1886  to  1890,  during  the  land  boom, 
he  sold  much  of  his  land  at  a  large  profit,  and  invested  largely  in 
Los  Angeles  city  property.  In  1876  he  built  the  McDonald  block 
on  North  Main  street.  Los  Angeles.  In  1892  he  built  another  block 
across  the  street  from  the  first  one.  During  the  later  years  of  his 
life  he  was  engaged  in  the  grain  business,  and  built  several  fine  ware- 
houses for  storing  grain.  He  was  the  principal  stockholder  and  pres- 
ident of  the  Globe  Mills,  of  which  he  was  justly  proud.  In  speaking 
of  this  mill  he  would  say  "The  Globe  Mill  makes  the  best  flour  in 
California,"  and  so  it  docs.  He  spared  no  pains  nor  cxwt  in  the 
building  material  and  machinery  for  the  mill,  and  always  used  the 
best  of  wheat  for  the  flour.  He  was  a  man  of  gO(.>d  business  habils, 
temperate  in  alt  things.  He  had  the  confidence  and  resi>ect  of  all 
with  whom  he  had  dealings.  Though  he  was  mild  mannered  and 
quiet  he  had  strong  convictions  of  right  and  wrong  between  man 
and  man.  He  paid  strict  attention  to  his  own  business,  and  very 
tittle  attention  to  the  business  of  others,  unless  it  conflicted  wltli 
his.  He  was  shrewd  and  straightforward  in  business  and  honest 
to  the  core.  His  heart  was  as  pure  and  tender  as  a  child,  and  his 
influence  was  ever  cast  on  the  side  of  justice,  and  especially  so  for 
the  unfortunate  and  needy.  His  friends  will  miss  him  and  mourn 
their  loss,  his  enemies  did  not  know  him.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  McDonald 
had  two  sons.  Winfred  Savage,  born  March  ist.  1871.  died  June 
22d,  1896;  Ransom  Waldon.  born  October  26th,  1872.  died  Novem- 
ber 26th.  1886.  Mr.  McDonald  amas.sed  quite  a  large  fortune,  val- 
ued at  about  $r6o.ooo.  He  died  after  a  lingering  illness,  at  his 
home  in  Wilmington.  June  loth.  1899.  leaving  no  descendants  to 


1 


976 


aiBTOBICAI.  SOOUCTY   OF  60  UTBB&M  CAUPOIUilA 


enjoy  ibe  benefit  of  his  success  business  career,  his  wife  alone  sur- 
viving him.    To  his  devoted  wife  we  extend  our  deepest  sympathy. 

M.  F.  QUINN, 

MATTHEW  TEED, 
li.  D.  BARROWS, 

Comniittee. 
Dated  September  5th,  1699. 


FRAN'CIS  BAKER. 

To  the  Officers  and  Members  of  the  Pioneers  of  Los  Angel* 
G)unty,  California:  Your  committee  appointed  upon  learning  oi 
the  death  of  our  respected  fellow  member,  Francis  Baker,  who  died 
in  the  city  of  I^os  Angeles,  California,  on  the  i/lh  day  of  May,  1899, 
would  respectfully  report :  That  our  esteemed  fellow  member  waiH 
bom  in  New  Bedford.  Mass.,  October  28th,  i8j8;  his  parental  aifrM 
ceslors  for  several  generations  were  natives  of  Massachusetts.  His 
mother,  a  Green,  traced  her  ancestry  back  to  Dr.  John  Green,  of 
Salisbury,  England,  who  came  to  America  in  17.^6,  and  who,  in  com- 
pany with  Roger  Williams,  bought  Rhode  Island  from  Miantonnmi, 
the  Indian  chief,  and  founded  the  town  nf  Warwick  in  that  slate. 
General  Nathaniel  Green  of  the  Revolutionary  war  was  a  descendant 
of  this  same  Dr.  Green.  Francis  Baker,  our  comrade,  at  the  age 
of  16  years,  went  on  a  whaling  voyage  to  the  Indian  ocean.  On  his 
tctum  in  1849  he  shipped  around  Cape  Horn  for  California,  arriv^ 
ing  in  San  Francisco  in  Sqjtcnibcr  of  that  year.  He  went  to  tl 
mines  on  the  Stanislaus  and  worked  for  a  time.  He  came  to 
Angeles  in  September  of  the  following  year.  His  life  in  Los  At 
geles  of  nearly  fifty  years  was  crowded  with  stirring  incidents,  bot 
of  a  public  and  persona!  nature.  He  served  as  deputy  under  Shcrif 
Getman  and  shot  down  the  desperado  Reed,  who  killed  Getman.  J; 
8.  1858.  From  1868  to  1870  he  was  deputy  under  City  Marshi 
William  C.  Warren,  who  was  killed  by  Joe  Eiye  Nov,  1870.  and  ws 
elected  City  Marshal  in  December.  1870.  to  fill  the  vacancy  in 
office  caused  by  the  death  of  Marshal  Warren.  He  was  elected  Cit 
Tax  Collector  the  two  years  next  following. 

In  1861  Mr.  Baker  clerked  for  V.  Beaudry,  stttler  of  the  two' 
aimpanies  of  dragoons  ."Stationed  in  Los  Angeles,  of  which  Captain 
(afterwards  General)  Davidson  was  commander,  and  Captain  (af- 
terwards General")  W.  S.  Hancock  was  quartermaster.  In  1871  Mr. 
Raker  married  Hannah  K.  Ryals.  who  died  in  May.  1887.  leaving  no 
children.      Mr.    Baker    leaves    two    sisters — Mrs.    Comdia    G. 


I 


I 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES  277 

Winslow,  living  in  New  Bedford,  Mass.,  and  a  sister  living  in  Hy- 
mouth,  Mass.    His  niece,  Cornelia  B.  Pierce,  and  her  daughter,  LUa 
Pierce,  arc  the  only  relatives  of  Mr.  Baker  living  in  this  city. 
Respectfully  submitted, 

JOHN  OSBORNJE, 
C  N.  WILSON, 
J.  B.  PARKER. 

Committee. 

MEMORIAL  SKETCH  OF  HYMAN  RAPHAEL. 

H.  Raphael  was  bom  August,  1838,  in  Germany.  In  about 
1868  he  left  for  Great  Britain,  residing  there  a  few  years.  He  then 
came  to  the  United  States,  arriving  in  New  York,  where  he  stayed 
but  a  short  time,  leaving  for  California  by  the  way  uf  the  Istlmius 
of  Panama  to  San  Francisco,  reaching  there  about  1870.  Shortly 
afterwards  he  came  to  Los  Angeles  and  associated  himself  in  busi- 
ness with  his  brother,  the  firm  being,  at  that  time,  Kaphacl  &  Wit- 
telschoefer,  which  firm  did  business  for  a  great  many  years  on 
Requeiia  and  Los  Angeles  streets. 

In  1878  he  went  to  San  Franciiico,  where  he  remained  a  number 
cf  years,  again  returning  to  I-os  Angeles  in  1882,  when  he  formed 
a  co-partnership  with  his  brother  under  the  name  of  Raphael  Bros,, 
which  was  located  on  Main  street,  near  First.  Later  on  the  firm 
of  H.  Raphael  &  Co.,  consisting  of  himself  and  his  two  sons,  was 
started  on  South  Spring  street,  between  Fourth  and  Fifth.  The 
present  business  is  now  at  509-511  Soutli  Main  street,  where  Iw 
erected  his  present  building. 

He  has  always  taken  the  greatest  interest  in  trying  to  assist  all 
charitable  and  worthy  purposes  and  leaves  many  friends  whom  he 
has  befriended  and  assisted.  He  had  been  sick  for  a  year  past,  and 
his  final  taking  off,  which  occurred  April  14th,  1899,  was  very  un- 
expected. He  leaves  a  widow,  two  sons  and  one  daughter,  who 
is  married.  F.  W.  PESCHKE. 

JOHN  C.  DOTTER, 
LOUIS  ROEDER, 

Committee. 


i 


LEONARD  JOHN  ROSE. 
In  the  death  of  L.  J.  Rose  on  the  17th  of  May,  1899,  Los  An- 
geles and  the  state  of  California  lost  an  enlightened,  enterprising 
and  most  useful  citizen,  and  this  Society  of  Pioneers  lost  an  honored 
member. 


278 


BIBTOBICAL  80CIBTY   OF   NDTBl 


IIA 


Mr.  Rose  in  maiiy  respects  was  a  remarkable  man.     Verj-  E« 
men,  as  all  you  Pioneers  who  survive  him  so  well  know,  have  dc 
so  much  as  he  tu  develop  the  resources  of  this  imperial  section  of 
Southern  California. 

It  is  fitting  tliat  the  archives  of  the  Society  of  Pioneers  of  Los 
Angeles  county  should  contain  at  least  a  brief  summary  of  his  life. 
For  a  fuller  account,  and  for  an  estimate  of  his  character  members 
are  referred  to  the  "Illustrated  History  of  Los  Angeles  County," 
published  in  1889,  which  also  contains  a  fine  steel  portrait  of  MJifl 
Rose.  ^ 

From  that  sketch,  the  data  of  which  were  taken  down  from  hij 
own  lips,  are  condensed  the  following  facts : 

Mr.  Rose  was  bom  in  Ba^-aria,  Germany,  in  1827.  He  came  wit 
his  parents  to  the  United  States  when  he  was  twelve  years  old.  Hi 
spent  his  youth  and  received  his  education  in  Illinois,  and  lat( 
moved  to  Iowa.  In  the  spring  of  1858,  with  two  hundred  head  of3 
fine  cattle  and  fifty  horses,  he  set  out,  with  nineteen  other  young 
men,  for  California  by  the  thirty-fifth  parallel  route.  After  suffer- 
ing immense  hardships,  including  attacks  by  hostile  Indians,  in 
which  numbers  of  the  party  were  killed,  the  sur\*ivors  reached  Santa 
Fe.  Here  Mr.  Rose  and  his  family  remained  a  couple  of  years. 
From  thence  they  continued  their  journey,  by  what  was  known  as  , 
the  "Butterfield  Stage  Route,"  reaching  Los  Angeles  in  November,fl 
i860.  ■ 

Mr.  Rose's  record  and  great  success  as  a  vineyardist  and  orchard- 
ist  on  a  large  scale,  and  as  a  raiser  of  fine  stodc,  is  well  known  to 
the  "old-timers"  of  this  society.     Early  American  settlers  in  L03 
Angeles  gravitated  naturally  enough  to  the  moist  lands  on  which 
com  could  be  raised  without  irrigation.    liut  Mr.  Rose,  with  a  clear 
judgment  that  after  results  amply  justified,  following  the  example 
of  Don  Benito  Wilson  and  one  or  two  others,  went  to  the  foothilts,fl 
where  abimdant  water  could  be  saved  or  develo(>ed,  before  it  sank 
into  the  plains,  and  where  heavy  frosts  were  unknown,  and  demon- 
strated on  a  magnificent  scale  the  possibilities  of   the  citrus    andfl 
grape  industries  on  those  foothills  lands,  by  an  object  lesson  that  has" 
since  been  worth  millions  to  the  people  of  Southern  California.     Mr. 
Rose  was  married  to  a  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs,  E.  H.  Jones  in  the 
So's.    Mrs.  Rose  and  a  large  family  of  children  sur\'ivc,  as  does  ^ 
also  Mrs.  Rose's  venerable  mother.  Mrs.  Jones,  now  a  nongenar-fl 
ian. 

Mr.  Rose  was  not  without  faults,  as  who  is?    But  he  had  good 
qualities  of  a  positive  kind,  which  all  who  knew  him  well  will  freely 


BIOGBAPmCA.L   BEBTCnBB 


279 


concede;  and  no  class  will  more  heartily  assent  to  this  than  those 
who  for  nearly  forty  years  were  his  near  friends  and  neighbors.  Mr. 
Rose  served  Los  Angeles  county  as  state  senator  for  the  term  coni- 
Dieucing  in  1887,  and  also  as  a  member  of  tlic  Stale  Viticultural 
Society,  and  of  the  State  Board  of  Agriculture.  His  life  was  an 
active  one,  as  well  as  a  useful  one,  both  to  himself  and  to  his  neigh- 
bors; and  naturally  they  rejoiced  in  his  successes  and  grieved  at  his 
trisfortunes. 

He  was  ambitious  and  enterprising,  but  California's  usurious  in- 
terest often — alas!  too  ofien — neutralizes  the  moat  heroic  struggles 
of  ambition,  and  brings  to  naught  the  most  carefully  planned  enter- 
prises. Usurious  interest  was  one  of  the  prime  causes,  in  Mr.  Rose's 
case,  as  in  that  of  so  many  others,  of  his  undoing. 

Peace  be  to  the  ashes  of  our  good  friend  and  fellow- Pioneer, 
L.J.  Rose! 

We  recommend  that  the  respectful  and  sincere  condolences  of 
this  Society  of  Pioneers  of  Los  Angeles  county  be  extended  to  the 
bereaved  family  of  our  deceased  associate,  and  that  a  copy  of  this 
slight  memorial  sketdi  be  transmitted  to  them  by  the  secretary. 

H.  D.  BARROWS, 
B.  S.  EATON, 

Committee. 

L06  AngeleSf  August  t,  1899. 

Unanitnouiily  adapted  on  this  date  by  the  society. 

MRS.  GEORGIA  HERRTCK  BELL. 

REPOBT  OF  MBHOaiAL  COMMITTEE. 

Again  is  our  society  called  upon  to  mourn  the  death  of  an  hon- 
ored pioneer  and  to  extend  its  sympathetic  condolences  to  the  be- 
reaved family  of  the  deceased. 

Mrs.  Georgia  Hcrrick  Bell,  wife  of  Major  Horace  Bell,  at  the 
time  of  her  decease  had  been  a  respected  resident  of  Los  Angeles 
for  more  than  thirty-four  years.  The  following  brief  memorial 
sketch  of  Mrs.  Bell's  life  is  based  on  data  furnished  to  your  com- 
mittee at  their  request,  by  her  husband : 

Mrs.  Bell  was  bom  at  Springfield,  Mass..  April  23,  1845.  She 
was  the  daughter  of  Albert  antl  N'irginia  (Crocker)  Herrick.  Roth 
the  Hcrrick  and  the  Crocker  families  were  of  colonial  and  revolu- 
tionary' stock,  the  former  of  New  York  and  New  England,  and  the 
latter  of  Virginia. 

Major  and  Mrs.  Bell  were  married  Dec.  14,  1862,  in  New  York 
cit)',  whither  the  former,  after  the  battle  of  Anttetani.  had  been  sta- 


'280 


UlflTORICAL  90CIKTV   OF   SOUTHERH   CAUPOBNIA 


tioned  to  recruit  sharpshooters.  Afterwards  her  husband  served  un- 
der General  Banks  in  Louisiana,  where  in  April  she  joined  him  and 
where  they  both  remained  until  September,  1865.  From  there  Uj^ 
went  to  Texas,  and  in  the  spring  of  1866  they  started  overland  for 
California,  reaching  El  Monte,  Los  Angeles  county,  on  the  31st 
day  of  July,  1866.  Their  trip  across  the  plains  from  Texas  to  Cali- 
-  .:;c  time  referred  to  was  fraught  with  great  hardship  and 
still  greater  danger.  In  the  memoranda  furnished  us  by  her  hus- 
band (accompanying  this  report)  numerous  interesting  and  excit- 
ing episodes  are  recounted,  which  occurred  on  tliis  trip,  and  also  in 
their  army  life  during  the  civil  war. 

Mrs.  Bell  was  of  a  kindly  and  dignified  flisposition.  and  she  was 
universally  lo\-ed  and  respected  by  all  who  knew  her.  She  was 
domestic  in  her  habits  and  manner  of  life,  and  Ihorougiily  devoted 
to  her  family.  Slie  reared  eleven  children — five  boys  and  six  girls — 
the  youngest  of  whom  was  sixteen  years  old  at  the  time  of  her  death. 

On  the  arrival  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bell  in  I-ns  Angeles  they  settled 
where  the  family  homestead  still  stands,  comer  of  Figueroa  and  . 
Pico  streets.  Their  residence  was  the  first  built  south  of  Eightbl 
street  and  west  of  what  is  now  Grand  avenue.  Georgia  Bell  street^ 
was  given  that  name  years  ago  by  the  City  Cotmci!  in  honor  of  Mrs.  ^ 
Bell.  m 

Her  husband.  Major  Bell,  was  a  nephew  of  Capt.  Alexander  Bell," 
one  of  Los  Angeles's  early  Pioneers,  who  settled  here  in  the  early 
forties  and  who,  in  1856,  was  a  Fremont  presidential  elector. 

M.  F.  QUINN, 
H.  D.  BARROWS, 
B.  S.  EATON. 

Committee. 
Los  Angdes,  Sept.  5,  1899. 


MRS.  CORDELIA  MALLARD. 
(from  the  western  graphic.) 
The  work  of  the  grim  reaper  is  now  frequently  fdt  among 
pioneer  families  of  Los  Angeles,  the  latest  to  be  taken  l>eing  Mrs. 
Cordelia  Mallard,  widow  of  the  late  Judge  Joseph  S.  Mallard.  wh< 
died  at  her  home  on  West  Ninth  street,  on  Sunday  morning  last, 
aged  76,  surrounded  by  ail  her  sons  and  daughters  and  many  oi 
her  grandchildren. 

Mrs.  Mallard  came  with  her  husband,  and  a  large  party,  across^ 
the  plains  in  1849.  *"**  a*^**'"  a  pilgrimage  of  eight  months,  fraught 
with  many  dangers  and  other  vicissitudes,  arrived  at  Son  Bernardii 


UOORAPHIOAL  BKBTCaEB 


SSI 


on  January  i,  1850.  Soon  afterward  most  of  the  party  came  to  Los 
Angeles  and  here  Mrs.  Mallard  had  lived  for  nearly  fifty  years,  more 
than  thirty  of  which  were  spent  at  her  embowered  home  on  West 
Nimh  street,  where  she  breatiied  her  last. 

For  many  years  Mrs.  Mallard  was  foremost  in  chanties  and 
churdi  work,  at  a  time  when  Jew  and  Catholic  and  Protestant  all 
labored  together  and  when  there  were  no  pronounced  church  or  so- 
cial coteries,  and  when  all  the  iiihabilanis  of  Los  Angeles  pulled  to- 
gether in  a  cummun  cause.  For  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century, 
though,  this  good  woman  had  left  to  others  those  active  social  and 
religious  cares  that  had  been  so  fondly  fostered  by  her  hand  and 
purse,  although  she  had  never  lost  her  interest  in  the  growth  and 
magnificence  of  our  fair  city,  and  bestowed  her  entire  attention  on 
her  family  which  had  increased  to  a  fourth  generation  since  the  de- 
ceased looked  from  the  mouth  of  the  Cajon  Pass  upon  the  flower- 
decked  mesas  of  the  upper  Santa  Ana  that  auspicious  New  Year's 
morning  of  nearly  fifty  years  ago.  She  was  the  emlxidiment  of  mag- 
nificeiil  womanhood  then,  being  admittedly  one  of  the  most  beauti- 
ful and  ruddy  looking  women  that  had  ever  come  into  the  state,  al- 

'  though  the  same  could  be  said  of  the  three  sisters  that  accompanied 
her.  one  of  whom  now  sur^'ives  her — Miss  Phoebe  Cox.  who  lives 
with  her  brother  S.  B.  Cox,  at  Hollywood. 

Her  mother  also  accompanied  her,  a  woman  of  superior  stock 
and  attainments,  who  died  in  this  city  a  few  years  ago  at  the  ad- 
vanced age  of  89-  Her  other  sisters  were  the  wives  of  Hon.  John 
Nichols,  the  third  American  mayor  of  1  j^s  Angeles,  and  Hon.  Jona- 
than R.  Scott,  an  attorney  of  great  ability  and  mind.  Like  Mrs. 
Mallard,  these  two  sisters  had  raised  large  families  of  children, 
whose  names  are  familiar  to  even  all  the  newer  residents  of  this  sec- 
tion of  the  country. 

I  The  father  of  Mrs.  Mallard  was  a  staff  officer  of  General  Wil- 

liam Henrj-  Harrison,  and  whose  deeds  of  valor  are  on  record  in 
Washington  and  Kentucky,  his  native  state. 

At  the  bedside  of  Mrs,  Mallard,  when  she  peacefully  and  happily 
passed  over  into  that  "undiscovered  country,"  were  her  two  sons, 
Walter  Mallard,  deputy  city  assessor,  and  Clarence,  a  deputy  in  the 
office  of  Count\'  Auditor  Nichols,  his  cousin.  There  were  also  Mary, 
wife  of  Colonel  I.  R.  Dunkelberger;  Augusta,  wife  of  Major  B.  C. 
Truman:  Isabella,  widow  of  James  Fulton,  late  pa\Tnastcr  general 
U.  S.  N..  and  an  unmarried  daugliter.  Miss  Josq>hine.  who  was  in 

I       constant  attendance  on  her  invalid  mother  for  the  past  three  years. 


284 


mSTORICAl-  WCJBTV   OF  «Ot^TBER?l   CALIirORXIA 


from  that  ihne  till  his  death,  or  for  more  than  half  a  century.  Mr. 
Mascarel  saw  the  small  isolated  Mexican  pud>lo  (or  ciudad)  of  Los 
Angeles  grow  to  a  nwdcm  American  or  cosmopolitan  city  of  120,- 
000  inhabitants,  whose  enteqirise  and  activity,  coupled  with  its  won- 
drous nattiral  advantages,  have  made  it  equal  to  any  city  of  its  size 
in  the  world. 

While  Mr.  Mascarel  was  naturally  of  a  retiring  disposition,  in- 
clining him  to  shun  publicity,  he  was  in  many  respects  a  remarkable 
man.  He  had  clear-cut  and  eminently  practical  views,  strong  con- 
victions and  a  sound  judgment  in  business  matters,  which  enabled 
him  to  accumulate  a  handsome  fortune,  though  he  gave  away  for 
charitable  and  other  purposes,  considerable  sums  during  h'ls.  lifetime. 
His  diarities,  wliich  in  his  later  years  amounted  to  several  huiidred 
dollars  a  month,  were,  as  a  nile,  unknown  to  outsiders,  i.  e.,  to  any 
one  except  himself  and  the  beneficiaries. 

He  served  the  city  faithfully  and  honestly,  both  as  Mayor  and 
Councilman.  When  at  one  period  he  was  a  memlier  of  the  finance 
committee  of  the  City  Council,  a  sewer  was  laid  in  Commercial 
street  that  cost  in  coin  about  $7,000.  .As  a  memlier  of  that  com- 
mittee he  did  his  best  to  have  that  claim  paid  by  as  small  a  discount  on 
the  city's  paper  as  ix)ssible — not  to  exceed  ten  or  at  most  fifteen 
per  cent.  But  without  his  knowledge,  and  to  his  astonishment, 
other  members  actually  negotiated  a  sale  of  the  city's  scrip  at  the 
unconscionable  discotmt  of  from  65  to  70  per  cent,  so  that  the  cost 
to  the  city  of  this  short  sewer,  instead  of  $7,000  was  $21,000  or 
$22,000. 

Mr.  Mascarel,  as  an  official,  sought  to  manage  the  affairs  of 
the  city,  with  the  same  carefulness  and  honesty  that  actuated  him 
in  the  management  of  his  own  private  business.  Mr.  Mascarel 
spoke  French  and  Spanish,  but  like  so  many  natives  of  France  who 
came  to  California,  he  was  never  able  to  quite  master  the  English 
language.  When  General  Irwin  McDowell  was  commander  of  the 
army  on  this  coast,  after  the  dose  of  the  civil  war,  he  made  Los 
Angeles  a  visit,  and  our  people  were  anxious  to  have  him  receive 
due  honors  by  the  Mayor,  which  office  was  at  the  time  fiUed  by 
Mr.  Mascarel;  and  they  feared  his  unfamiliarity  with  the  English 
language  might  cause  embarassment.  But  as  it  happened.  General 
McDowell  spoke  French  fluently,  and  so  the  offidal  courtesies  be- 
tween him  and  the  Mayor  passed  off  felicitously,  greatly  to  the 
gratification  of  our  people: 

In  the  olden  time,  and  even  for  a  long  period  after  the  chan(a?e 
of  government,  almost  everj'body  here  knew  more  or  less  Spanish, 


I 


BIOfiBAPHICAI.  BKBTCHES 


286 


and  it  was  possible  to  tran^sact  business  with  an  official  who  might 
be  unacquainted  with  English  if  he  only  knew  Spanish.  Mr.  Aguil- 
ar.  e.  g.  who  could  not  sjjtak  English,  made  a  good  and  acceptable 
\!ayor  because  of  the  general  familiarity  of  citizens  of  all  nation- 
alities then  residing  here,  with  the  Spanish  tongue. 

I  have  myself  been  acaislomed  for  years  to  transact  business 
and  to  communicate  freely  with  Frenchmen  through  that  medium, 
although  they  did  not  understand  English  and  I  did  not  understand 
French. 

Mr.  Mascarel  was  physically  of  stalwart  proiwrtions,  being  over 
six  feet  in  height  and  weighing  over  200  pounds.  He  was  of  a 
kindly  disposition  and  though  scarcely  known  by  the  newcomers  he 
will  be,  in  his  decease,  sincerely  mourned  by  all  the  Pioneers  of  Los 
Angeles  who  knew  him,  wliatever  may  have  been  their  nationality, 
and  especially  will  he  be  mourned  by  the  native  Califomians, 
amongst  whom  he  lived  so  many  years.  He  was  buried  with  the 
rites  of  the  Roman  Catholic  chtirch.  from  the  old  church  on  the 
Plaza,  where  a  large  concourse  assisted  at  the  obsequies. 

Mr.  Moulton  tells  mc  that  among  the  passengers  who  came  up 
from  Mazatlan  to  San  Pedro  in  1844  with  Mr.  Ma,scarel  were  sev- 
eral Frenchmen,  whom  old  Don  Louts  Vignes  had  sent  for  to 
France,  to  come  out  here  and  work  for  him  at  various  trades.  Sev- 
eral of  these  settled  here  permanently,  whom  some  of  you  will  re- 
member; they  were:  P.  Domec,  who  was  years  ago  an  extensive 
lime  maker  at  "E!  Escorplon"  rancho:  Antonio  Labory,  who  had 
a  vineyard  south  of  the  "Aliso"  vineyard;  two  Mamm  brothers; 
and  Don  Pedro  Vigncs,  who  soon  after  went  back  to  France.  Mr. 
Mascarel,  on  his  return  from  Mazatlan  in  May.  '45,  went  to  work 
as  cooper  for  Don  Louis  Vigncs;  and  later,  with  one  of  the  Manon 
brothers,  started  a  bakery.  All  these  earliest  French  settlers  have 
now  passed  away. 

JAMES  CRAIG. 

James  Craig,  a  pioneer  of  Lamanda  Park,  was  bom  in  Armagh, 
Ireland,  in  1841.  He  was  educated  for  a  civil  engineer  in  which 
profession  he  attained  distinction.  He  was  employed  in  the  con- 
struction of  important  works  in  Great  Britain  and  afterwards  in 
India.  He  served  as  a  government  engineer  in  Morocco.  Exposure 
in  these  tropical  countries  injured  his  health.  He  came  to  Califor- 
nia in  1868  for  the  purpose  of  recuperating  his  heaUli.  He  pur- 
chased land  in  what  is  now  Lamanda  Park,  at  one  time  owning 
about  four  thousand  acres,  extending  from  near  where  Marengo 
avenue  now  is  up  to  the  mountains.     He  sold  the  greater  portion 


286 


HISTORICAL   SOaETT   OV   SOCTBEKN   CALtrORNIA 


of  this,  but  retained  his  home  place,  known  as  the  "Hermitage." 
He  cngagcti  in  ranching  and  fruit  growing,  in  which  occupatioo 
he  was  quite  successful. 

He  married  a  daughter  of  the  late  Judge  Volney  E.  HowanL 
Seven  children  have  been  bom  to  them.  He  had,  for  .some  Cimfc 
been  interested  in  developing  water  in  the  foothills.  He  came  to 
his  death  December  30.  1899,  by  falling  down  the  shaft  of  a  tumui 
which  he  was  engaged  in  drifting  into  the  side  of  the  mountain 
in  I£aton  canon.    He  was  a  member  of  the  Institute  of   Civil  Eo- 

^gineers  of  Great  Britain.     He  joined  the  Society  of  the  Pioneen 

'  of  ]ms  Angeles  County  at  its  organization. 

PALMER  MILTON  SCOTT. 

Palmer  Milton  Scott  was  bom  in  Kentucky,  May  30,  1822.  He 
was  the  fifth  son  of  Anna  and  the  Re\'.  John  Scott,  a  minister  of 
the  Christian  church.  His  parents,  while  he  was  quite  young,  re- 
moved to  Indiana,  and  from  there  to  Springfield,  Illinois,  where 
he  grew  to  manhood.  Being  of  an  adventurous  disposition  the 
news  of  the  discovery  of  gold  in  California  induced  him  to  cnake  a 
trip  to  the  Golden  State.  He  came  by  way  of  Panama,  reaching 
San  Francisco  early  in  1851.  Fmm  there  he  proceeded  to  the 
mines.  Not  succeeding  equal  to  his  expectations  in  the  mines  be 
returned  to  Illinois.  From  there  he  moved  to  Des  Moines.  lo'wa. 
He  took  an  active  part  in  biiilding  up  that  city  and  was  interested 
in  its  municipal  affairs.  He  served  several  terms  as  a  member  of 
the  Council  of  that  city.  He  assisted  actively  in  the  building  of 
the  first  Christian  church  in  Des  Moines,  donating  the  lot  on 
which  it  was  built.  When  Pike's  Peak  gold  excitement  brc^e  out 
he  was  one  of  the  first  to  join  in  that  "gold  rush."  On  his  return 
he  decided  to  try  his  fortune  once  more  in  California. 

Through  his  influence,  in  April,  1862,  a  company  of  about 
twenty-five  families  l>anded  together  to  make  the  trip  across  the 
plains.  It  was  a  long  and  tedious  trip  and  to  him  a  very  painful 
one.  At  Salt  Lake  his  wife  and  two  children  died,  .^fter  six 
months  of  weary  travel  he  reached  his  favorite  city  of  Sacramento 
with  the  remainder  of  his  little  family.  Here  he  located  for  a  time. 
From  Sacramento  he  removed  to  San  Luis  Obispo  county  and  in 
1871  he  came  to  Los  Angeles.  He  located  on  what  is  known  as 
the  P.  M.  Scott  tract,  a  portion  of  which  he  subdivided  during  the 
"bo4ini."  He  aided  in  building  a  schoolhouse  on  this  tract  and 
also  a  church.  He  took  an  active  interest  in  muidpal  affairs  and 
was  one  of  the  fifteen  freeholders  who  framed  the  present  city 
charter.  He  died  January  3,  1900."  He  leaves  three  children  by 
his  first  wife  and  a  widow  to  mourn  his  loss. 


^^^^f     MEMBERSHIP  ROLL           1 

1 

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^^1 

^^^^  PIONEERS 

OF 

LOS  ANGELES  COUNTY 

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67 

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Editor 

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July,  4.  '73 

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Barclay,  John  H. 

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BarrowB,  Henry  D, 

74 

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99 

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fil 

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May  '72 

226  H.  Hill 

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66 

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May  16,  '68 

1713  Brooklyn 

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63 

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April  '72 

010  W.  Second 

1873 

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70 

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Aorll  '74 

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1           Barclay,  Hmry  A. 

60 

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39 

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July  16.  '74 

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1           Barrovrit,  Cornatla  8. 

63 

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W.  Jeffemon 

1»68       ^ 

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42 

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76 

Conn. 

Hyd.  oncinee 

r               '61 

4383bermAn 

USf 

^M      EAtiMuPred 

« 

Cal. 

Mayor 

'56 

4N  Wast  lAka 

UBS 

^1       Kblngar,  Loali 

5S 

0«rm. 

Meruliunt 

Oct  0.  '71 

755  Maple 

vm 

■       Klliott,  J.  H, 

M 

8-C. 

Banker 

Nov  '70 

Albambra 

I87» 

H       Ktuitirn,  EUnbMh  L. 

M 

Mo. 

Houaewiro 

Nov  15,  'SU 

1525  Reokwrwtd 

^B        BT«rM,  Mjton  R. 

6B 

N.  Y. 

Paintar 

Oct  as. '68 

Loa  Anffalea 

1SSI 

H       Edlemao.  A.  W. 

fl7 

PoL 

BabbI 

June'da 

1S43  Flower 

1850 

^1       "PMtAr,  Stephffli  0. 

78 

Maine 

RaHred          March  3S.  *47 

■ni  E.  Second 

1S4S 

^1       n«lBbiiian,  Henry  J. 

S7 

Cal. 

Caabler 

July  5.  '62 

221  W.  Fourth 

IMS 

^1       Toy,  Hamuel  C. 

69 

D.  C. 

Mercbant 

March  '54 

651  H.  FiEoeroA 

ISGS 

^H       Furguson,  Wm. 

63 

Ark. 

Retired 

April  -an 

axis.  Hill 

ism 

^m      PDrr«7',  Wm.  C. 

6> 

K.  Y. 

Merchant 

Aue  '72 

1103  [neraham 

1805 

^K       Preneh,  I^nirlne  W. 

5« 

Ind. 

Dentist 

0«'68 

857  AlTarsdo 

186S 

^H       FrmckllD,  Mrs.  Mary 

62 

Ky. 

Seams  Lrese 

Jan  1.53 

26S  Avenue  32 

1853 

H        FtakeU,  Charles  R. 

62 

Mlaa. 

Parmer 

July  5, 73 

El  Monte 

186D 

■       Fisbar,  I..  T. 

66 

Ky. 

Publiafaetr 

Mar  24,  '74 

LiQS  Ancelea 

187S 

^M       Flaiahman.  Henry  F. 

S3 

8.  C. 

Caterer 

Oct '68 

138B  .Main 

laes 

^m       Poy,  Mrs.  LuHnda  M 

.  W 

Ind. 

HonaewUe 

De&  21.  'AO 

651 S.  FiEtioroa 

MOO 

^M       Garey,  Thomiu  A. 

69 

Ohio 

Nurweryman 

Oct  14.  '52 

•SS£i.  Maple  ST 

I8S2 

^P       Gurvey.  Richard 

60 

Ira. 

Farmer 

Deo '5ft 

Sao  Gabriel 

lass 

^B       Oaee<  Henry  T. 

46 

N.  Y. 

Gov.  Sute 

Auk '74 

1146  W.  26th 

1874 

■       OUletl«,  J.  W. 

62 

V.  Y. 

Inapeotor 

May '02 

3i3  Temple 

18SB 

■       Gl)latt«.Ur*.E.8. 

4fi 

DL 

Housewife 

Aug  >61 

322  Temple 

ISdi 

^       Gould.  Will  D. 

M 

Vt 

Attorney 

Feb  28,  '72 

Boandry  at 

1S73 

^K                  •Dead. 

^1 

1 

HEHBKRSHIP   BOLL 

■ 

289           1 

r                    iun 

Ml 

OCatTATlOW 

«aUT.  IX  €0, 

ata 

k.%.nc            H 

■TATS                    H 

Gtaasell,  Andrew 

as 

Va. 

AUorney 

Dec*66 

2&2  Bnena  Tint*  lasS              ■ 

Gollmrr.  ChftrloH 

4U 

Oertn. 

Mercbant 

'«B 

uao  Flower 

1868               ■ 

GibflOD,  FrSDk  A. 

« 

Iowa 

Banker 

Deo  1.72 

520  Court 

1668       ^^1 

UrifflLb,  J.  M. 

70 

Md. 

Retired 

April  'Bl 

Loe  Angelea 

18SI       ^H 

^m  Gnen,  E.  K. 

60 

N.  Y. 

Manufacturer 

May*72 

W-  Ninth 

1072         ^V 

^^  Onon,  Floyd  K. 

ni. 

Manuftoturer 

May  "72 

W.  Ninth 

1872               ■ 

^^^  Galnn,  Jamw  M. 

64 

Oblo 

Retired 

OM  is,  '60 

116  S.  Grand  ar 

1864               ■ 

1          Ooldowortby,  Jpbn 

eo 

Edit. 

Surveyor 

Mar  SO, '66 

7WE.  10th 

1852               ■ 

1           •Qriffln.  JohoS. 

82 

Va. 

Phyaklan 

Jan  7,  '47 

U09  Downey  av 

1646        ^M 

1          GllUrt.  Harlow 

SB 

N,   Y. 

Fmlt  grower 

Not  1.  OB 

Belt  SUtioo 

tssa      ^H 

1          OorkiiH,  Jacob  F. 

60 

Gflrui. 

Farmer 

Jbu  'H 

Glendala 

I8&I         ^H 

Grofiser,  Wm.  F. 

«i 

Germ. 

Mercbant 

Jan  74 

182S  E.  First 

1673                ■ 

O&rreU.  Bobert  L. 

w 

Ark. 

Undertaker 

Nov  6,  '112 

701  X.  Grand  av 

1862      ^^1 

Grohe,  Cbristlaii 

&i 

Germ, 

KeAtAU  ranter 

Jan  3, '74 

8118anFernan 

ises     ^^M 

EalQBs,  RufuB  R. 

78 

Maine  Telesrapbor 

Jane  71 

216  W.  27th 

1867              ■ 

HturU,  Emil 

60 

PruN. 

DelecUva 

April  1*.  '«T 

KCffi  W.  8th 

1867              ■ 

llkrgHt,  C. 

77 

Bdj[. 

Oarp»iit«r 

Jply  -73 

747  Yale 

1871         ^^ 

Httrper,  C.  F. 

S7 

N.  C. 

Merchant 

May 'OK 

Laurel 

1863        ^^1 

Karrtfi,  Leopold 

64 

PruH. 

Merahant 

Feb  4,  '54 

S3fiS.  Hill 

1653        ^^1 

^H  Euard,  a«o.  W. 

67 

111. 

Clerk 

Doc  as, 'M 

130TS.AlvarBdo  18M             ■ 

^^V  IlMtard,  nenryT. 

» 

111. 

Atlorae? 

Deo  2ft.  'M 

283fl8.  Hope 

IrM                ■ 

'     H«UiuaD.  Herman  W 

cr, 

Oerm. 

Banker 

May  14.  W 

9filHlU 

IMO               ■ 

H«inseman,  C.  F, 

68 

Germ. 

DruKirlal 

June6.'6B 

6SDS.  Grand  av 

Ifffit               ■ 

EurKan,  T. 

6& 

Ire. 

Plaateror 

Sopl,  18.  -70 

saO  JackaoQ 

1608              ■ 

Hunter,  Jan*  K 

» 

N.  Y. 

JaD'«a 

•Uil[«r.  HonwM 

fa 

N.  Y. 

Merchant 

Oct'aK 

147  W.  'iScH 

It«l9               ■ 

Uubflr,  C.  K. 

51 

Ky. 

Agent 

July  '60 

8668.  Broadway  19G0              | 

HamlltoD.  A.  N. 

» 

Mi(di. 

Miner 

Jan  a.  72 

611  Temple 

1872                ■ 

Holbrook,  J.  F. 

K3 

lad. 

ManuPr 

May  a(K  '73 

156  Vine 

1873                ■ 

B«iuiiuin,  UuHtave 

49 

Anat. 

Banker 

July  71 

TiTCVirornla 

1671                ■ 

Button,  Aurdliua  W. 

61 

Ala. 

Attorney 

Aug  6,  '69 

Lot  Angelea 

laas       ^^ 

HtUer,  UrB.  Abbla 

60 

N.  Y. 

Hotiaawife 

Oa'W 

147  W.  ISrd 

1R»        ^H 

H«rwi|{,  Henry  J, 

«5 

Pros. 

Farmer 

Dee2S.'53 

TISWall 

186S        ^H 

Kouich,  A.  M. 

69 

S.  Y. 

MiuUter 

Nov '68 

10«»  Oranife 

1808       ^H 

Hubboll,  at«pban  C 

fie 

N.  Y. 

Attorney 

•OB 

IM&Plewuntav 

18»       ^^1 

17 

AdbL 

Rastuiruiter 

Doc  74 

1018  BUI 

1870              1 

Jacoby.  NHtfaaD 

70 

Prus. 

Mercbant 

July  '61 

739  Hope 

1881                1 

Jaoobj,  Morria 

60 

Prua. 

Mercliant 

'85 

l.>o«  Angelea 

1866                ■ 

JaaaM,  Alfred 

70 

OUo 

Miner 

April '68 

I0IX.B.HUlavlh63              ■ 

JeoUna,  CharlM  U. 

00 

Ohio 

Dep-Sherur 

Mar  19.  '61 

11A6  Santee 

lasi            ■ 

JohnaoD.  Cbarlw  R. 

70 

Man. 

Aooonntaot 

•51 

Loe  Angelea 

1847          m 

Jadftoo.  A.  H. 

»1 

N.  Y. 

Attorney 

May  70 

Pasadena  av 

lino           B 

Jordon,  JoMpli 

61 

AUBt. 

Retired 

June  'GS 

Lue  Augelee 

1656              ■ 

JobftDaen,  Mrs.  Caoilia  SO 

Gorm. 

Honaawife 

'74 

Loa  AngeUe 

1874               ■ 

JenklrH,  Wm.W. 

61 

Obio 

Miner 

Mar  10.  'hi 

Nowhall 

1861                ■ 

Jnnkiii.  Joaepb  W. 

72 

Maine  Carpeotei 

'68 

619E.WBfih. 

IWH        ^M 

•Mad. 

2 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^1 

^^1 

^^^^H 

^^^^^^^^H 

^^^^^^^^^^^1 

r 

290                       HBTOUCAt  BOaSIT   OP  SOUTKERV   CALIFORNIA           ^M 

I 

sun 

MB 

nana- 
ruca 

eoCCPATIDH 

AaaiT,  m  00, 

an. 

! 

^^H    1 

Kajm,  CturlM  O. 

62 

Vt. 

Clork 

Nov  ».  *e8 

aOdX.Worknui 

i 

^M 

Kmner,  M. 

76 

Pranoe  Ina.  ageot 

March's 

7UHope           i 

I 

H  1 

Kr«m«r,  Mm.  Ualild*  61 

N.  y. 

8«pt'64 

7M  Hope 

^ 

^H   , 

Kubrta,  JftcAb 

«7 

U«nn. 

Moreham 

May  10,  'SB 

107  W,  FHrat 

I 

^^ 

Kurta,  Joseph 

67 

0«rm. 

Pbyalcian 

Feb  2.  88 

Sril  Baena  VtaU  1 

^1 

Kywr.  E.  P. 

«7 

«.  Y. 

Retired 

April  'W 

123  BouDieBrae  1 

^^B 

Kuu,  HMuuel 

&2 

Pa. 

Dep.  Co.  Clerk  Oct  £i,  '74 

317  H.  Suto 

ri 

^^^H 

l.At[iboura,  Fred 

92 

Enir. 

Orooer 

Dev'W 

SOI  JudsoQ 

1 

^1    1 

LAnknnihlni,  J.  EL 

4B 

Mo. 

Oaptullat 

■72 

wo  3.  Olive 

•lA  Dow.  S.  W. 

76 

N.  Y. 

Farmer 

May  '£2 

Loe  Anf  elee 

^H 

74 

Franne  Retired 

'51 

007  Seventh 

^H 

Loob,  Leon 

M 

Frauoe  Merobaot 

Feb '06 

1S21  a.  Hope 

^H 

Look,  H«or]r  Vaiider 

40 

Oal. 

Mercbaul 

Dee  U,  -50 

2300  Flower 

^1 

Lemht^lte,  UtuulM  M. 

70 

Oerm. 

Pickle  wka 

Mar  20. -57 

577  Loe  Anceiai 

u 

^H 

LaooDTrenr,  Pisnk 

70 

flerm. 

Sorvaror 

Mar  (t,  '66 

661  a.  Male 

I 

^H 

Vtwy,  Ulebwl 

«6 

Fraove  Merohaot 

Oct'« 

622  Kip 

■ 

^n 

Lyon,  LmwIh  II. 

87 

Me. 

Book-keeper 

Oot-W 

642  Kuth  av 

1 

^H 

L«obIer.  a«orse  W. 

«7 

Pa. 

Apiarist 

Nov'M 

NewhaU 

II 

^H 

Lenx,  Edmund 

fi2 

Oerm. 

losaranoe 

June  17.  "74 

2807  a  Hope 

^1 

Mwy,  0»Ar 

70 

Ind. 

Farmer 

•60 

Alhambra 

1 

^H, 

Mappa,  Adun  O. 

76 

N.  V. 

SeATcli.  B«o. 

Nov'« 

Loe  Ancelea 

1 

^HH 

M«ro«[laal0.  N. 

61 

luir 

i>ro«ic 

April  IS,  'lie 

4:^  Sntt  I'edro 

1 

^HH 

Ufliinw,  JoMph 

43 

Ohio 

Merobaot 

etpt-M) 

170e  Maniton  aer  11 

^H^i 

HMMr,  R. 

75 

Oerm. 

Retired 

Feb.  '54 

226  Jackvou 

1 

^■1  ii 

Ua7«r,  HKina*! 

«B 

Gorm. 

Merchaut 

April  '58 

1S37  H.  Hope 

1. 

Ift  1 

Mdlzar,  Louis 

63 

Bohe. 

Stationer 

ApHll.  '70 

two  Pearl 

1 

^^K  1 

Mllohall,  Newell  H. 

66 

Oblo 

Hotel  keeper 

Sept  26,  '68 

Pasadena 

« 

^HH 

Uoore,  Imuic  N. 

«3 

III. 

Retired 

Nov  '« 

l»Banoook 

s 

^HH 

Mallmlly,  JoMoph 

80 

Ohio 

lUUred 

March  S,  '61 

417  Col  lev* 

11 

^^■H 

Mol^ii,  Gm.  P. 

62 

Va. 

tlorchant 

JanS.'W 

4«SN.  Grand  avJl 

^^Lll 

Mi^l^Aan.  Wm. 

67 

Scot. 

Contraotor 

'69 

An  8.  Hope 

V 

^m 

•McDonald.  E.  N. 

07 

N.  Y. 

OapltaUet 

Oct  as,  '53 

WMuiliiirtOD 

XI 

^^^H 

McMallln.  W.  (>. 

51 

Can. 

Dep.  Sberlir 

Jan  *7n 

Statkin  D 

11 

^^^1 

Muulton,  Elijah 

79 

Can. 

ReUred 

May  12, '4ft 

Loe  Angelea 

u 

^^^^1 

MrC-ORiiUt,  Jna.  I^ 

n6 

Vn. 

Retired 

Od.  'TB 

Pomona 

n 

^^^1 

Mott,  Thomiw  D. 

60 

y.  y. 

Reared 

'62 

IH&8.  Main 

u 

^^^1 

Mellua.  Jat.  J. 

49 

Mane. 

Ins. 

•63 

157  W.  Adams 

V 

^^1 

UlU«r.  Willlain 

60 

N.  Y. 

Carpenter 

Not  22, 'm 

Santa  Monioa 

• 

^^1 

Norton,  lamtr. 

66 

Pol. 

Sec  Loan  Aa. 

Nov,  ^V 

13MPlKn<raa 

11 

^^^H 

Nowuiark,  Hurls 

es 

Oerm. 

Merobaut 

OctSS,  '63 

1061  GrMid  AT. 

s 

^^^1 

Newmark,  M.  J. 

«i 

N.  Y. 

Merchant 

Sept,  '54 

1047  GnuM)  Av. 

u 

^^^H 

Kewall,  J.  O. 

70 

Can. 

Laborer 

July  14,  *6S 

^417  W  Mb 

h 

^^^1 

Nicbola,  Thomu  R, 

41 

rai. 

(to.  Auditor 

•68 

ZSI  W  Slat 

a 

^^^1 

NdwoU,  Mrs.  J.  Q. 

63 

Ind. 

Uousoirire 

Jnn^  '63 

MlTWOlh 

11 

^^^H 

Vtuima,  Geo.  A. 

49 

Can. 

Fkrmer 

'88 

Florenoe 

^^^^1 

Nswinwk,  Mn.  B. 

69 

y.  Y. 

8ept  Id,  '61 

lOSI  S.  Ormnd 

li 

^M 

Ortue.  Heor;  fl. 

61 

Oa. 

Pbrsldaa 

July  4,  '66 

176  S  Sprint 

1 

•DMCL 

E 

i 

H 

1 

Vehbcrship  nOLL 

P 

■ 

^^V                   MaMR 

AOt 

SIXTH' 
PbUI 

oecuTJimM 

Axaiv.  IK  00. 

nn. 

AB.  Ilr 
VTATS 

OBbome,  John 

82 

Eqk. 

Retlr«] 

NotH.'M 

323  W  30th 

1»S4 

Oft  born,  Wm.  M. 

S5 

N.  Y. 

LiTarjr 

March. '58 

ITS  W.  l:ilh 

1R5S 

CMSlvon?.  Kdw.  S 

41 

III. 

Pr  Trmn  Oo 

Nov.  '60 

Molroae  At 

\mt 

ClfelvBny.  Hoory  W 

.  86 

lU. 

Attorney 

Nov.  •« 

Baker  Brock 

itnt 

Owens,  Edward  H. 

53 

Ala. 

C'k  V.  8.  Court     Oct.  '70 

QaETRoaa 

1670 

Pftrkor,  Joel  B. 

SB 

N.  Y. 

Farmer 

AprU20.'7O 

512  E  12lb 

1S70 

I'wchke.  WlUUm 

SO 

Germ. 

K«ttr«id 

April  15.  '65 

658Maor 

ifm 

Pike.  Qso.  H. 

04 

Maaa. 

Rati  red 

'67 

lioa  ADgelea 

1^8 

Pfwk,  Geo.  II. 

HO 

Vt. 

Farmer 

Dan, 'OK 

Bllfonto 

1849 

Pon«i,  Victor 

63 

Kola. 

CapitnlUt 

Oet,>6& 

Alvarado 

INII7 

Prldbam,  Wm. 

m 

N.  Y. 

Supt.  W  F  Co  Aug  2R.  '« 

Baker  Block 

ISS1 

P[«)r«r,  Satnaal 

tn 

Prna. 

Notary 

Feb,  'M 

Lioa  AiiKelao 

ISM 

Proolor,  A.  A. 

as 

N.  Y. 

Blackamitli 

Dee  22,  'T2 

1601  Maple  Av 

1872 

Pllklngton.  W.  M. 

eo 

&U8. 

Oardnor 

'73 

218  N*  CammtngBlKTS                ■ 

Quinn,  lUohard 

es 

[re. 

Farmflr 

Jan,  '61 

Kl  Mont« 

1881           ^^1 

<tutiin  Michael  F. 

68 

y.Y. 

Farmer 

March  3.  '69 

Et  Monte 

ISStf           ^H 

K»ib,  Dsrid  M. 

67 

Oerm. 

Dairyman 

May  lA  'flO 

Houtb  PwaadenalM6           ^1 

Ray  n  en,  Franlc 

40 

Eag. 

Lnmbflrman 

Ang,  '71 

Pomona 

IH71                  ■ 

Rel<:h&rd,  Danlal 

M 

Ohio 

Livery 

July.  'OB 

4W  Benudry 

1868                  ■ 

Riley.  Jftmw  U. 

» 

Mo. 

Manufacturer        Dec.  '60 

1105  3.  OUve 

1U7                ■ 

Kic^lianlHon,  K.  W. 

4D 

Ohio 

Dairyman 

Sept,  'TE 

Tropioo 

U7l                ■ 

Richnrdflon.  W.  C.  B. 

SI 

N.  H. 

Surveyor 

■68 

Troplco 

186S                  ■ 

Ro«der,  I>outs 

67 

Oenn. 

Retired 

Nov  28.  'W 

.111)  Itnyii 

I8S6                  ■ 

Rowan,  TboiBM  E. 

M 

X.  Y. 

Brokor 

March.  *6D 

Brysuu  Block 

is&i           ^M 

Robinson,  W.  W. 

OK 

No  SCO  Clerk 

Hept, 'W 

iiKS.  Olive 

1851            ^H 

RoborUs.  iI«nr;C. 

6t^ 

Pa. 

Fi-nlt  OroTTW                'M 

Axuaa 

ISSO           ^^1 

Riaaldl.  Carl  A.  R. 

ea 

Oorm. 

Horticulturist    April.  'M 

Komando 

I8&4           ^^1 

Readall,  Stephen  A. 

es 

Bag. 

Real  Entale 

May  1,  '60 

905  Alvarado 

1861           ^^1 

RraviH,  Waller  3. 

SR 

Mo. 

Oolieotor 

Junn  8.  'dSI 

]«r;aDn»etBoul660          ^^M 

■Ritphiial,  Hytuaa 

60 

Oerm. 

Merchaut 

Sept,  '71 

4SI  W.  Lake 

1871           ^H 

"Roae.  Leonard  J. 

7a 

Qeno. 

Farmer 

'60 

40(1  Orand  Ave 

law           ■ 

Rogers.  Alox.  H. 

70 

Md. 

Retired 

Aug '73 

lifts  WaU 

18S2                  ■ 

Ready,  RubhcII  W. 

4» 

Mo. 

AUomejr 

Deo  18.  '73 

San  Pedro  at 

1873                  ■ 

Rosa,  Emkina  M. 

u 

Va. 

n.  S,  Jadge 

Jane  in,  'm 

Xju«  Attifotes 

1869          m 

RitSBdl  Wm.  H. 

BO 

K.Y. 

Fmlc  Grower  April  9.  'ea 

Whittier 

1806          ^H 

Sablch!,  Prauk 

67 

Cal. 

Attorney 

'■a 

2137  Figiioroa 

1842          ^^ 

fiobmldt,  Uottrried 

M 

Den. 

Farmer 

Ansr,  '64 

I<oa  Angeles 

IBM                 ■ 

Sclimidl,  Auguat 

GO 

Oeriu. 

RMlred 

May.  'm 

710  6  Olive 

1868                ■ 

Scbaffer,  Jnbn 

69 

lioi. 

HeUred 

Marah.  '72 

Loa  Asffelofl 

IMS                ■ 

Shorb,  A.  8. 

62 

Ohio 

Pttyaiclan 

Jmie,  '71 

em  Adacos 

1671                 ■ 

acblook,  Panlei 

T» 

Harm. 

R4>Ured 

Oct  34.  '66 

331  Franklin 

1852                  ■ 

Snward,  Charleit 

M 

Ky. 

Twa-hor 

Oct.  73 

El  Monte 

1868                  ■ 

Ktoll,  Mlmon 

U 

Ky. 

Merchant 

Aug.  '60 

mi  H.  ItroKdway  1868                M 

Stewart,  J.  M. 

70 

N,  H. 

Retired 

May  1*.  '70 

512  Vr  30th 

1860           ^^1 

StepbeiM,  Daniel  Q. 

66 

N.J. 

Urclianliiil 

April,  '61 

Station  7 

law        ^M 

Stepbena.  Mra.  B.  T. 

&faine 

'00 

Station  7 

t8M                  ■ 

fimlth.  I»aao  8. 

67 

N.Y. 

SeoOUCo 

Nov,  '71 

219  N.  Olive 

1866                J 

•Dead. 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H 

^^1 

^^^^H 

^^^^^^^^^^^^1 

^H       ft92              BisrmiuoAL  boodrt  ow  bocthsbs  caxjporxia 

1 

^^M                     HAtn 

JMZ 

»Bra- 

rua 

ooccPATnoi 

AkaiT,  IM  00. 

ana 

IX*' 

^H          Strooff.  Robert 

68 

N.  Y. 

Broker 

Mareb.  12 

Paaadena 

A 

^^1          Hnj-d«r,  Z.  T. 

48 

Ind. 

Fanner 

AprU,  Tt 

Tropleo 

» 

^H           *8ootL,  Pklmer  M. 

75 

lU. 

Re»lEitato 

SepL-TZ 

29  Morton  Are  BH 

ftl 

Ll 

Hnired 

Jau  in,  'HI 

014  N  Itun.  IIIU  I'M 

^H          SooU.  Mr*.  AjuoiU  W.6» 

Ohio 

Houoewife 

Deo  21.  W 

mi  Miaaian  B'd  W    | 

^H          Stoll,  B.  W. 

W 

Oflftn. 

.    MaDDtkctnrer      0>n  I.  '67 

S44SaiIt 

ae 

^^ft          Sammfir,  C.  A. 

M 

Enr 

Brokor 

May  K.  "73 

laoi  Ofaas* 

in 

^H         Smith.  MrB.8armb  J. 

12 

111. 

HouMwife 

Sept,  "72 

Temph)  td 

M 

^^B          SUUT.  Joaeph  L.. 

H. 

Tex. 

Ualrymao 

'71 

Lo*  AB8*>«a 

na 

^H           Sehmlilt,  FrMlurlck 

60 

Genu, 

Farmer 

•78 

Lna  AnrolM 

« 

^H          SbelUm,  Jpbo 

R 

Tex. 

Farmer 

Bep<.28.'M 

AaOM 

iw 

^H           B«liabur7.  J.  C. 

a& 

N.  Y. 

Retired 

May  '74 

isii  8  nm 

isi 

^^m         Tob«rRiHO,  J.  R 

63 

Vii. 

Famior 

April,  '6S 

61ft  S  Ft^ieroi 

)  im 

^H          TMd.  Matbew 

70 

Btiff. 

Carpenter 

Jan.  '63 

013  CalifoniU 

IM 

^^H          Tbom,  CsmeroQ  B. 

74 

Va. 

AUornvy 

April,  '54 

II8R  Std 

IM 

^H          IMl,  Hr».  Mu7  M. 

<I0 

MIcb. 

Houaowire 

Deo  Sfi.  -M 

4»aHUl 

tM 

^^B         Thotnu,  John  M. 

6S 

Ind. 

Farmer 

Deo;,  •« 

MottroTla 

UW 

^H          Tburmau.  S.  D. 

» 

Tenn. 

Farmer 

Sept  15.  'S2 

El  MoRta 

im 

^H          TowD.  R-  M. 

55 

III. 

Fanner 

Ni.v  1,  ■« 

Toluoa 

urn 

^^H          TrnoMtn.  Bou  C. 

M 

R.  I. 

Antbor 

Feb  1.  ^a 

23idat 

laa 

^H          Tarn«r,  Wm.K 

a* 

Ohio 

Urooer 

May,  'S8 

808  N  Mriffin 

Utt 

^^H           Ulyartl,  Auxuittiui 

R3 

Pa. 

Baker 

Dea31.'S2 

819  Flower 

MS 

^H          UlTKrd,  Mra.  Mary 

W 

Knfc. 

JiouMWife 

Dec  31,  'fiS 

810  Rowar 

USB 

^H         Udetl.  Jooepb  C. 

7It 

VL 

Atloroer 

'W 

8t  UeQrc«  Hotat  IB^     "^ 

^H         TIsodIo,  Ambrosto 

71 

Italy 

Merchant 

Sept  26,  '72 

fiSSSMaln 

18U       1 

^H          T«nkble,  JcM»pb  W. 

ffi> 

Kv. 

Farmer 

Jaly,  '69 

Downey 

IMS)       1 

^^1          Vo|rU  Heory 

72 

Germ. 

Builder 

Jan  4,  '69 

Outelar 

UM     J 

^H         WorkmKo,  Woi.  U. 

« 

Mo. 

RmU  Eatate 

'64 

J76  Buylu  Ave 

UM  ■ 

^H          Work  HMD,  E.  II. 

62 

Mo. 

K«at   KmtHU* 

•&* 

120  Boyle  Ave 

UM   ■ 

^H          •Wil«7,  Uenry  U. 

08 

Pa. 

tH  peculator 

July  8.  '62 

aoti  8  Hit) 

1863    ■ 

^^1          Wim.  Konuetb  D. 

65 

Ind. 

Pbj'uloian 

Sept, '72 

I%1  K Grand  AvlifTS   ■ 

^H          WiUiKmHOu,  0«u.  W. 

41 

III. 

Capltallat 

'71 

LoH  Aiifrelea 

U71 

^H          Weyw,  Rudolph  G. 

3» 

Cal. 

Bookeepar 

Jan  »,  '60 

Thorn  peon  et 

IIW 

^B          W«jDM>,  Mnt.  A.  W.  B. 

,    37 

CttL 

HouaewlTe 

July  16.  '82 

Saola  Monloa 

isn 

^M         Wrlsht,  Chulas  M. 

«3 

VL 

Farmer 

July.  '60 

Spadra 

1KB 

^H         White,  CbmrlflB  H. 

46 

Mkm. 

SPCo 

»QV,  72 

1137  lugraham 

IRS3 

^B        Weld.  Ivu  A. 

W 

Den. 

Landlord 

'72 

741  S  Main 

IWI 

^B          WIIwui,  C.  N. 

m 

Ohio 

lAwyer 

Jan  fl,  '71 

Fernando 

ISW 

^B         WUmd,  John  T. 

an 

Pa. 

Farmer 

Janfl, 'Tl 

Fernando 

lan 

^H        Ward.  Jimee  K. 

63 

X.  Y. 

Farmer 

Jan  "TS 

1121 S  Orand 

•***rt 

^H         Workman.  A  Ifrod 

66 

£nff. 

Broker 

Nov2S.'68 

212  Boyle  At 

.>.«41 

^H         Wb)t«.  Citleb  S. 

67 

Maw. 

llonSoiilturtat  Deo  24, '08 

Pomona 

1M» 

^H          W«l),  Jacob 

70 

Oerm. 

Retired 

■64 

Paaadena 

I8U 

^H           WisKlna,  Thomoa  J. 

64 

Mo. 

Farmer 

Sept.  'M 

Kl  Monte 

I6M 

^H          Wood,  FrMi  W, 
^M          Woodhetut.  Chw.  B. 

«i 

Wla, 

0.  Kngineer 

Mar  24.  '74 

I/o«  Angeloa 

li{74 

M 

Ohio 

Dairyman 

Feb  21.  '74 

8S2  Buena  V  lata  ISfi    ^ 

^H         Tsroell.  Jmmo 

62 

Ohio 

Prlnlwr 

April.  '67 

1804  W  iMt 

ui^J 

^^1           Younii,  John  D. 
^^           Yunell.  Mni.  S.  C. 

67 

Mo. 

KarujAr 

Oct '63 

an?  Flaueroa 
IMW  W  lat 

SQ 

Wla. 

Houaewlfe 

April  'T7 

u^^H 

^^^^            •Dnd. 

^ 

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